“Nothing very satisfactory. She wanted to know if I would like an outline of the sermon, and she proceeded to give me the text and some of the leading points. Of course, she heard all of the girls discussing it at the table, for it was the day that Dr. Hyde preached, and we were all intensely interested.”
“Where do you suppose she was?” It was Mary Sutherland who asked the question.
“I really have not the faintest idea. I know, though, that she was some place where, of course, she could not have gotten permission to go, had she asked, for otherwise she would never have run the risk she ran. The faculty do not overlook that sort of thing readily.”
“She would certainly be suspended at the least.”
“Well, I cannot go and tell any one of the professors what she does, but I wish something would happen to make her more careful. I don’t like to have the college girls talked about. I feel jealous of our good name.”
Beth looked perplexed and worried. All three of the girls knew that Margery Ainsworth had violated one of the strictest rules, and she could only have done it in order to achieve some end which the faculty would never have countenanced. It was not pleasant for Beth to room with a girl as utterly devoid of principle as Margery Ainsworth daily proved herself to be. It was inevitable that they should be thrown more or less together. Margery was no student at all, and she and Beth really had no ideas in common.
“This is the second secret that has come our way this vacation,” Dolly said. “Such secrets are not nice. I hope we shall not be compelled to hear any more. First, we learned more about our president’s life than she would probably care to have us know, and now comes this, which is, of course, a thousand times worse. As far as I am concerned, I have no suggestions to offer.”
“As I understand the matter, you want her forced to obey the rules, but at the same time you are not going to tell any member of the faculty about her.”
“Of course I am not,” Beth said indignantly. “That is simply out of the question.”
“And yet, for her own sake, it would be much better if the faculty knew something of her doings. She cannot go into town so often for any good purpose. She may be getting into mischief that she will repent all of her after-life.”