“I beg pardon if I have been occupying what does not rightfully belong to me, and I cheerfully resign my chair to your prior claim.”
Josephine flushed, for she saw that it was all Star could do to restrain her merriment, though what should have caused it she could not understand; while she looked so pretty and was so lady-like, it made her angry.
“I’m sure,” she began, hotly, and raising her voice so that others could hear her, “I don’t see what you’re so amused over, Stella Gladstone; and it seems to me that you’re putting on altogether too many airs for a girl who used to perform the services of a chambermaid in our house.”
For a moment Star stood as if dumfounded; then she lifted her bright head a trifle, as if in conscious superiority, gave Miss Richards a cool stare of surprise, and turned away without a word.
Not so Miss Meredith, however.
She kept her seat with the utmost composure, watching this little scene with both interest and amusement until Josephine so tauntingly insulted her friend.
Then she, too, arose, drawing her tall form to its fullest height.
“I cannot understand,” she said, in a voice of scorn, “why you should so maliciously insult Miss Gladstone; but allow me to say for your enlightenment, that these chairs, rugs, and so forth, belong to my brother, Mr. Ralph Meredith, and he arranged them here especially for Miss Gladstone’s and my comfort. However, I will emulate her example, and resign my right to ladies who have proved themselves so superior in point of refinement and politeness.”
Having uttered this cutting sarcasm, Miss Meredith bowed mockingly and walked away to rejoin her friend, leaving those haughty and overbearing women about as chagrined and crestfallen as it is possible for two people to feel.
The gay company reached their destination after a delightful sail of two hours.