CHAPTER XX.MARJORIE FINDS A SUPPORTER
Marjorie returned from Baretti’s full of the glorious news of the little proprietor’s triumph over Sabani in behalf of Page and Dean. Jerry was equally elated and burst into one of what she had named “Joyful Jingles to Bean.” She spouted them on special occasions.
“Thanks to our faithful dago friendThe Goblin’s schemes fell through.’Tis plainly seen, oh, upright BeanSuch trouble’s not for you.”
“Thanks to our faithful dago friendThe Goblin’s schemes fell through.’Tis plainly seen, oh, upright BeanSuch trouble’s not for you.”
“Thanks to our faithful dago friendThe Goblin’s schemes fell through.’Tis plainly seen, oh, upright BeanSuch trouble’s not for you.”
“Thanks to our faithful dago friend
The Goblin’s schemes fell through.
’Tis plainly seen, oh, upright Bean
Such trouble’s not for you.”
She did a fantastic polka step around Marjorie, keeping time with her declamation.
“You funny old goose!” Marjorie caught her and wrapped both arms about her. “Yes, the Goblin’s scheme did fall through, and, oh, rapture, the busses will begin running again tomorrow morning! What would we have done without SignorBaretti’s help? He’s splendid in his interest in our work here. He ranks with Miss Susanna, Prexy and Professor Wenderblatt as our most loyal supporters. Now I must tell you what he did.”
“Oh, save it till I go for Gus, Calista and Flossie. Let them hear it. They’ve been looking for you. They’ve something on their minds. So has Jeremiah. This is another wildly eventful day.” Jerry smiled warmly down on Marjorie who had taken off her wraps and was now lounging in one of the arm chairs. She reclined there, a graceful lissome figure in her straight gown of pale jade broadcloth, with no trimming save that of her superb young beauty to set it off.
“All the days here are somehow wildly eventful,” Marjorie said with a little devoted smile. “Something remarkable seems always to be happening.”
“Too true,” Jerry agreed with solemnity. “But some days are even more eventful than that. I will mention as an example the day before we went home for Thanksgiving.” Both girls began to laugh. “That was some day. Muriel began it right by tipping her cup of coffee into my lap. Next. I fell down three steps of the stairs. Next. I dropped a new library book in the mud. Next.I went to the gym to see Gentleman Gus and got hit on the nose with the ball. Next. I couldn’t find my suitcase in the trunk room so I had to borrow one. Do you recall any other exciting misfortunes of that particular day?” She turned innocently inquiring eyes upon Marjorie.
“Nope. You were a martyr that day, poor old Jeremiah.”
“I need your sympathy, Bean,” Jerry rejoined brokenly. “It’s a hard world for some folks. Still I’m glad I’ve survived.”
“Cheer up. Here come the Bertramites.” Marjorie’s keen ears had caught the sound of familiar voices. She went to the door and ushered in the trio of sophs.
“What’s the latest from Guiseppe, the defender?” Gussie immediately clamored to know. The three girls surrounded Marjorie while Jerry made an equally eager fourth member of the group.
It did not take long to put them in possession of the good news. They received it with enthusiasm, modified to keep within the limit of noise. Since the evening when Marjorie and Jerry had been called to the door by Miss Peyton on the head of being disturbers of quiet no more reports had been made against them. Miss Peyton’s threat that she would place the matter before PresidentMatthews had evidently never been carried out. Marjorie could only hope that it had not. The president’s cordiality to her whenever they chanced to meet assured her of his regard. Still she disliked the idea intensely of being reported to headquarters for anything so utterly uncontrolled and childish.
“What a strange, dreadful life for a girl to lead!” exclaimed Calista Wilmot. She referred to Marjorie’s account of Leslie Cairns’ part in the bus trouble.
“Yes, it is.” Marjorie’s reply was spoken in all seriousness. “After Signor Baretti had told us of what she had done Robin and I both thought we ought not tell even you girls of it. Then we thought of the way Phil, Barbara and the rest of you helped break up her plot by coming out with your cars in the storm. We decided it was only fair to tell you the exact circumstances. The Travelers, old and new, should be, and are, I’m sure, trustworthy. None of them would circulate any of the private business of the club about the campus.”
“There’s another argument just as strong as to why Leslie Cairns’ actions shouldn’t be kept secret from the club. She doesn’t deserve to be shielded for what she did.” Gussie’s handsome, colorful faceshowed shocked disapproval. “Why, she has acted just like a regular old politician who goes around before election day and buys votes!”
Gussie’s comparison raised a laugh in which Marjorie joined. Long ago she and Robin had come to that conclusion.
“Well, we won’t ever say a word about her outside the Travelers,” she said, her face sobering. “Everything’s going nicely again. Now, children, my tale’s told. Jerry says you have something on your minds. Go sit on that couch, three in a row, and spout forth your news.” Marjorie indicated her couch bed. “If you don’t care to sit there, why, here is our assortment of chairs.” She grandly pointed them out.
“Let Gus tell it. She began it,” declared Flossie. The three friends had bumped themselves down on the couch, with much interference one with another and little bursts of laughter.
“Your fairy-tale Princess and Leslie Cairns had a fuss at the Colonial today. They were together there when the three of us went into the place for ices.” Gussie said in matter-of-fact tones. “Miss Monroe was ripping mad. We heard her say that something wasn’t true, and that she wouldn’t be bullied. She was so angry she talked louder than she intended. I think she knew it for all in aminute she dropped her voice away down. I wanted to be the one to tell you about this, Marjorie, for a certain reason.” Her tone was flattering to Marjorie’s dignity.
“Speak, Gentleman Gus,” laughed Marjorie, amused by the very solemn expression of Gussie’s face.
“Just because Miss Monroe was opposed to me at class election is no sign that I should have any hard feeling toward her,” Gussie began. “I haven’t. I know you think she’s going to—to—well, be more congenial some day. She won’t be, though, if she keeps on associating with Miss Cairns. She’ll begin to break rules, too. First thing she knows she’ll do something serious and be expelled from Hamilton. I can’t forget how sweet she looked the other night at the hop. I thought, since she seemed to be peeved with Miss Cairns that maybe you could think of some way to link her to Hamilton. So she’ll like the campus better than she does Leslie Cairns.”
“I have thought of a way, Gussie,” Marjorie’s eyes sparkled. At last she had a supporter in the cause of the difficult fairy-tale princess.
“We ought to forget there is any such person,” Calista said. “After the way she reported us for being noisy on the day we got here. But you seewhat forgiving natures we have.” She gave a whimsical little shrug and smile.
“I decided to forget that she reported us,” came from Gussie magnanimously. “She’s awfully thorny and hard to approach. She doesn’t seem to care much for Miss Peyton and Miss Carter. They make great effort toward being chummy with her.”
“Leila knows I’d like to have a Beauty contest; the kind of one she got up when we were freshmen and she and Vera were sophs,” Marjorie told them animatedly. “If we had one—”
“Good old M. M. thinks the Ice Queen would win it. That would let M. M. out of being the college beauty—so she innocently schemes,” translated Jerry. “We’d still be privileged to our own opinion, Ahem.” She coughed suggestively. Next instant she had gone to the door in answer to a rapping on it.
“You’re just in time,” she greeted, stepping back to allow Leila to enter.
“In time for what, may I ask?” Leila’s bright blue eyes roved speculatively about the room.
“For the Beauty contest,” returned Calista promptly.
“Then I must have won it. I see no one half as beautiful as myself here,” was Leila’s modest opinion.“But have you seen Vera? Midget is gone, unless you may be hiding her away in some small corner.”
“She went to town with Phil. Robin and I met them when we came from Baretti’s.” Marjorie continued with a brief account of Robin’s and her call at the inn.
“Once more she has dropped her gold into the sea,” was Leila’s thoroughly Irish comment. “It is the same old story, Beauty. She never wins.”
“Bean hopes to be Bean without beauty,” Jerry said briskly to Leila. “Can it be done?”
“I shall have to consult the stars.” Leila rolled her eyes mysteriously at Marjorie.
“Never mind me, Leila, won’t you please help me about the Beauty contest. You know why I am so determined to have it. Gussie feels the same as I do about Miss Monroe. So does Calista. I’ve two on my side.”
“Count me in, Bean. Never forget your friend.” Jerry sprang to Marjorie’s support.
“And me,” echoed Flossie Hart.
“I’m sorry, Beauty, but I can’t help you with the contest.” Leila pursed her lips and shook her black head. “Now, why should you bother your head about it?”
“Because I think it is the one thing to do forMiss Monroe. I want to do it, Leila. Why won’t you help me?” Marjorie sent Leila a puzzled, almost hurt glance.
“Why won’t I help you? Because—” Leila’s smile burst forth from her sober face like sunlight through a cloud—“I shall be busy managing the Beauty contest myself.”