"Something like that," satirized Jerry. "Where did you say you were?

Never mind. I am sure you will tell me some day." She simpered at Marjorie. "You should have been with Helen and I today. Something awfully funny happened. Not to us. The girls are coming up to hear about it soon. Helen and I didn't care to tell it at the table on account of the Sans."

"Then farewell to my peaceful study hour." Marjorie laid away the translation she had been making.

"You can chase the girls away at eight-thirty, that will give you time enough. If you don't, I will. I have studying of my own to do."

"As long as the gang will be here I may as well save _my_ remarks until then."

A buzz of voices outside the door announced the "gang." Beside the three Lookouts and Katherine were the beloved trio, Helen, Leila and Vera. The entire crowd pounced upon Marjorie, demanding to know where she had been. It was unusual for her to be away without having left word with some one of them.

"Will I tell you where I was? Certainly! It's no secret; at least not now," she added tantalizingly. "Don't you want to hear Jerry's tale first? I do."

"Nothing doing. You go ahead and relieve our anxious minds. We didn't know but maybe you had been spirited away by a bogus note again."

A peculiar expression appeared in Marjorie's eyes as she went to her chiffonier and drew from it Miss Hamilton's letter.

"It's queer, but when I received this letter the other day, I was almost afraid it was another fake. Notice the address, then read it," she commanded, handing it to Vera who was nearest her.

It brought forth exclamatory comment from all, once each had acquainted herself with its contents.

"No wonder you didn't leave word where you were going. Did you have a nice time?" Jerry's chubby features registered her pleasure of the honor accorded her room-mate.

"Yes; I had a beautiful time. I was worried because I couldn't speak of going to any of you. Miss Susanna gave me permission to tell you eight, but no others." Marjorie recounted her visit in detail. "I wish she would invite the rest of you to Hamilton Arms. It is a beautiful house inside. I only saw the hall and library, but they were magnificent."

"Don't weep, Marvelous Manager." Ronny had noted Marjorie's wistful expression. "Through your miraculous machinations we shall all be parading about Hamilton Arms in the near future."

"I certainly hope so," was the fervent response.

For a little the bevy of girls discussed Marjorie's news. All were elated over the pleasure which had come to her. Her generous thought of the peculiar old lady on May Day of the previous year had touched them.

"She hasn't asked you yet if you hung that basket, has she?" queried Lucy.

"How could she possibly suspect me of hanging it?" laughed Marjorie.

"Because it was like you. It carried your atmosphere. Some day she will suddenly notice that and ask you about the basket," Lucy sagely prophesied. "She seems to be a shrewd old person."

"She is." Marjorie smiled at the candid criticism. She wondered if Miss Susanna had not been in her youth a trifle like Lucy.

"Now for what Helen and I saw and heard this afternoon," declared Jerry gleefully. The first interest in Marjorie's visit to Hamilton Arms had abated.

"Oh, a horrible tale I have to tell, Of the terrible fate that once befell A couple of students who resided In the very same neighborhood that I did,"

chanted Helen. "You tell it, Jeremiah. You can make it funnier than I can."

"Helen and I started out with the new car as proudly as you please this afternoon," began Jerry with a reminiscent chuckle. "We hadn't gone much further than Hamilton Arms when whiz, bing, buzz! Along came that Miss Walbert in her blue and buff car and nearly b.u.mped into us. She came up from behind and her car just missed sc.r.a.ping against Helen's. Leslie Cairns was with her. We never said a word, but I heard Miss Cairns raise her voice. I think she gave Miss Walbert a call down."

"There was no excuse for her, except that she never seems to pay any particular attention to anyone's car but her own," put in Helen. "I have heard complaint of her from I don't remember how many girls who own cars. Occasionally you will find a girl who can't learn to drive a car.

She belongs in that cla.s.s. Excuse me for b.u.t.ting in. Proceed, Jeremiah."

"That's all of the prologue," Jerry continued. "Now comes the first act.

We went on to town, drove around a little, did our errands, had ice cream at the Lotus and started back highly pleased with ourselves. You know that place just before you leave the town where the turn into Hamilton Highway is made? There is a grocery store and a garage on one side of the road and a hotel on the other. Just before we came to that point Miss Walbert and her car whizzed by us again. She took that corner with a lurch. When we struck the place a minute later we saw something had happened. She had actually sc.r.a.ped the side of one of those taxis that run between town and the college. It was coming from the college, I suppose. Anyway, Miss Cairns and she were both out of their car and so was the taxi driver. Maybe he wasn't giving those two a call down!"

Jerry and Helen exchanged joyful smiles at the recollection of the reckless couple's discomfiture.

"Helen drove very slowly past them. We wanted to hear what the man was saying," Jerry continued. "He was laying down the law to them to beat the band. We heard Leslie Cairns say, 'Do you know to whom you are talking?' He shouted out, 'Yes; to a simpleton of a girl who don't know no more about drivin' than a goose. I seen you drive your own car, lady, an' I never had no trouble with you. Your friend, there, is the limit.

You're runnin' chances of landin' in the hospital or worse when you go ridin' with her.' Leslie Cairns was furious. I could tell that by her expression. Miss Walbert fairly shrieked something at him. She was mad as hops, too. We had pa.s.sed them by that time so we couldn't catch what she was saying. There was quite a crowd around them, mostly men and youngsters."

"That must be the man Robin and I rode with the other day," Marjorie said. "Is he short, with a red face and quite gray hair?"

"Yes; that's the man. How did you know which one it was?" Jerry showed surprise.

"He had a near collision with Miss Walbert that day." Marjorie related the incident.

"It is a shame!" Leila's face had darkened as she listened to both girls. "I hope Leslie Cairns takes her in hand. She's the very one to cause a bad accident and then home go our cars. She is such a poor driver. She bowls along the road without regard for man or beast. She has a good car which will presently be in the ditch."

"Do you think President Matthews would ban cars if a Hamilton girl were to ditch her car or met with serious accident to herself?" Vera asked reflectively.

"Hard to say, Midget. It would depend upon the seriousness of the accident. Suppose a girl were to ditch her car and be killed. It would be horrifying. I doubt whether we would be allowed our cars after any such accident."

"Grant nothing like that ever happens." Lucy Warner gave a slight shudder. "I shall never forget the day Kathie was hurt."

"None of us who were with her that day are likely ever to forget it.

Miss Cairns escaped easily considering the way she was driving. She ought to be the very one to tell that Miss Walbert a few things not in the automobile guide," declared Jerry. "She certainly did not appear at advantage this afternoon."

CHAPTER XII-A TRAITOR IN CAMP

Leslie Cairns' opinion of the matter coincided with Jerry's, though the latter could not know it. To become involved in a roadside argument with an irate taxicab driver did not appeal to her in the least. She was not half so angry with him, however, as with Elizabeth Walbert. She blamed the latter for the whole thing. For several minutes after Helen and Jerry had driven by them, Elizabeth and the driver continued to quarrel.

"How much do you want for the damage you say we have done your cab?"

Leslie had impatiently inquired of the man. "Cut it out, Bess, and get back to your car," she had ordered in the next breath. "Let me settle this business."

A momentary hesitation and Elizabeth had obeyed. She could not afford to antagonize Leslie, at present. She had an axe of her own yet to be ground.

"I oughtta have twenty-five dollars. It ain't my car. Repairin' comes high."

"Very good. Here is your money. Wait a minute." Leslie had extracted the sum from her handbag. With it came a small pad of blank paper and a fountain pen. Then and there she obtained not only a receipt for the money but a statement of release as well. She was well aware that it would not cost twenty-five dollars to repaint the side of the cab sc.r.a.ped by their car, but she preferred the matter summarily closed.

Returning to the car she had said shortly: "I'll take the wheel."

Elizabeth had resumed the driver's seat. Nor had she made any move toward relinquishing it.

"You heard what I said, Bess," she had sharply rebuked. "Either that, or you and I are on the outs for good. You let me drive that car and show you a few things you need badly to know about driving." Leslie's lowering face and tense utterance had had its effect. Elizabeth had allowed her to drive back to Hamilton but had sulked all the way to the campus.

At the garage she had unbent a little and inquired how much Leslie had paid the driver. "I'll return it to you next week," she had promised.

"Suit yourself about that. I'm in no hurry. I took it upon myself to settle with the idiot. It wouldn't worry me if you never paid it. I thought it best to pacify him. I don't care to have him reporting us to Matthews as he threatened to do." This had been Leslie's mind on the subject.