“I wasn’t favored with a knowledge of her age,” Imogene continued frigidly. “But I repeat, it’s time to do something!”
“But what can we do?” asked Priscilla. “Of course we can refuse to lend our things, but that—”
“That isn’t what I mean. I mean we ought to show her that she isn’t everything in The Hermitage, or in all St. Helen’s. She thinks she is! But she isn’t! In college she’d be made to black boots, or run errands. I have a friend at Harvard and he told me all about the things they make fresh Freshmen do.”
The thought of the haughty, velvet-clad Miss Van Rensaelar blacking boots was too much for Virginia and she laughed, thereby increasing Imogene’s displeasure. Vivian arrived just at this point of the conversation, falling over the rug as she entered, which awkward proceeding greatly disturbed her room-mate.
“For mercy’s sake, Viv, save the furniture, and do close the door! This isn’t open house!”
Poor Vivian, a little uncertain as to whether or not she was welcome, straightened the rug and closed the door. Then she sat beside Virginia, who had made room for her on the couch.
“We might ask Mary. Maybe she’d have an idea,” Priscilla suggested a little timidly, but Imogene did not receive the suggestion very kindly.
“Oh, I’m sick of this monitor business! Don’t say a word to Mary. Whatever is done can be done without her first assistance. I’m going to think of something before I go to bed to-night.”
“She makes me think of Dick when he first came to the ranch,” said Virginia. “He acted as though he were better than the other men, and knew a lot more, though he was only eighteen. He used to like to dress up and go to town at night, as though he were above them all. The men grew tired of his overbearing ways, and Jim and Alex decided he needed some discipline. So, one night when he had gone to town in his best clothes, they placed a big bucket of water over the bunk-house door, and arranged it so that when any one opened the door from the outside it would fall and drench him. Dick came home about midnight; and the men all lay in bed, waiting for him to open the door. He opened it, and down came all the water. Jim told father the next day that Dick just stood there wet through, and never said a word. But he understood, and after that he wasn’t snobbish any more, but just one of the men, and they liked him a great deal better. I know I thought ’twas mean when Jim told father, but father said it was just what Dick needed to help make a man of him.”
They had all listened to Virginia’s story. Somehow they always did listen when Virginia told a story for it was sure to be interesting. Imogene, though she stared out of the window while Virginia told it, was really listening most attentively of all; for, as Virginia talked, into her scheming mind flashed an idea, by the carrying out of which she might attain a two-fold purpose—namely, the desired disciplining of Miss Van Rensaelar, and the revenging of certain wrongs for which she held Virginia responsible.