when marjorie called john hadley on the telephone to cancel her engagement for wednesday night, and to invite him to the class dance, she was surprised to find him appear indifferent.
“i had expected to be out of town this week-end,” he told her. “on business.”
“oh, very well,” replied marjorie, coolly. “it doesn’t matter—you might be bored anyhow.”
“hardly that. but—the fact is, the firm wanted me to go on wednesday, and i begged off. i myself suggested saturday. but if it means that you will have to stay home——”
“certainly not!” flashed marjorie, resentfully. “it happens that i do have two or three other friends——”
“marjorie, you know i didn’t imply that,” he apologized.
“well, i’ll find somebody else!” she retorted, cutting him off.
“no—please——”
but the connection was broken.
marjorie walked away, with a strange sensation at her heart. it was really the first time that she and john had actually quarreled, and she suddenly felt ashamed of herself. how childish it was to be angry because he had a business engagement! if anyone should have been resentful, it was his right, not hers.
the more that she thought about the conversation, the more reluctant she was to tell lily. yet sooner or later her room-mate would know that john was not to be her escort at the dance.
she postponed the news until after mr. richards’ visit, and her scout program was settled to her satisfaction. then, on thursday evening, when the girls were dressing for dinner, she informed her.
“i haven’t any partner for saturday night, lil,” she mentioned, casually.
“what!” exclaimed the other, turning about from the mirror, and facing her in consternation.
“john can’t go—he’ll be out of town over the week-end on business.”
lily crossed the room, and, tilting marjorie’s chin with her hand, looked her straight in the eyes.
“you never asked him!” was the accusation she hurled.
“i did—on my scout word of honor!”
lily shook her head, incredulously.
“if i know john hadley, he’d manipulate his engagements, even if they were important, so that he could go with you. what’s wrong?”
“nothing. only of course i didn’t get down on my knees to beg him to.”
“oh, i’m so sorry,” murmured lily, regretfully. “i thought that it was going to be such a wonderful party—with john and dick both there.”
“it can still be wonderful without john,” returned marjorie, lightly. “but tell me, lil, whom shall i invite?”
on friday morning she told lily that she was not going at all.
“i think that i’ll drop in on my scout troop, instead,” she remarked.
lily knitted her brows.
“i don’t believe i would, marj,” she advised.
“why not?” demanded the other.
“because—it might look funny. i forgot to tell you last night because i was asleep when you came home, that queenie brazier called up and asked for one of us. naturally i answered, since you were at the athletic association. she wanted to know mr. richards’ address, and whether she might invite him to the scout meeting on saturday night.”
“well, of all things!” cried marjorie, bursting out laughing.
“so you see it would look rather queer if you went after all,” lily concluded.
“yes, it would——. well, there’s only one thing left for me to do at this late date—and that is invite jack.”
“great! go to it, marj!”
marjorie used all her powers of persuasion upon her brother, and finally prevailed upon him to promise to break another engagement in her interest. so long as john could not go, she knew that she preferred jack to anyone else.
though not wildly excited about the event herself, she could not help catching some of lily’s contagious spirits.
“do your hair nicely, marj!” the latter commanded.
“you want to ask mr. richards, don’t you?” the question was fired like a shot, and it startled marjorie, all the more because the idea had never entered her head.
“i never thought of him, lil. i don’t believe that he dances.”
“still, you could call him up and find out.”
“i wouldn’t have the nerve. i wouldn’t admit to him that i was planning to go to a dance on a scout night. he might not think i was in earnest about my troop, and i don’t want to antagonize him—i may need his help again.”
“well, then, you’ll have to dig up some of your old friends. you’re suffering now because you’ve neglected them for the scouts.”
“i’m not actually suffering!” denied marjorie. “because i won’t feel so dreadful if i do have to stay home.”
“naturally,—without john——”
“stop it, lil! i positively won’t stand any more teasing without revenge! i’ll pay you back!”
“you wouldn’t dare!” laughed lily. “now i’m going into the other room, to leave you alone to think. you’ll have to decide upon somebody tonight.”
but the more marjorie thought about it, the less she liked the idea. it had been several years since she had attended a class affair without john hadley, and she knew that a change would cause comment. moreover, she admitted it to herself, though she would not have to anyone else,—she really did not care to go without him. “brothers are more critical than anyone else.”
“only they never look at their sisters,” remarked marjorie. “still, i don’t want to disgrace you.”
“you won’t—but do hurry. the boys must be downstairs waiting for us now.”
“are they coming together?” inquired her roommate, in surprise. “they don’t come from the same place—the same city.”
“i guess your escort was in philadelphia today,” returned lily, unable to conceal a mischievous little twinkle.
“come on—i’m ready now,” announced marjorie. “do i look all right?”
“perfectly sweet.”
lily did not trust herself to say anything further, for fear that she might disclose the secret at the last minute, and spoil the fun. marjorie, however,97 was totally unconscious of any by-play; when she walked into the reception room and saw john hadley standing there with dick roberts, she was absolutely non-plussed.
“your brother couldn’t come, and sent a substitute,” dick began solemnly. “allow me to present——”
“don’t be so crazy, dick!” laughed marjorie, seizing john’s hand impulsively. “the substitute’s perfectly satisfactory.”
lily looked away contentedly; she felt that she might dismiss marjorie from her mind for that evening. she was right, too, for before the little party had reached the country club, the girl had made her apologies, and she and john were established again in the old pleasant friendly relationship.
