FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91  
92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>   >|  
t's a decided hit, isn't it? Polly says the other classes are in despair at the idea of getting up anything that will take half as well." "It's certainly a lovely show," said Madeline, trying the fudge. "And a big feather in Eleanor Watson's cap," added Jean carelessly. "She always was the cleverest thing. I'd a lot rather be chairman of the play committee, or even a member of it, for that matter, than toastmistress. I suppose you know that there's a class-meeting to-morrow." "Have you said that to Eleanor?" asked Madeline coldly. "Oh, I gave her my congratulations on her prospects," said Jean with a shrug. "We're old friends, you know. We understand each other perfectly." Madeline's eyes flashed. "It won't be the least use to tell you so," she said, "but lobbying for office is not the chief occupation of humanity as you seem to think. Neither Eleanor Watson nor any of her friends has thought anything about her being put on the play committee. I made the mistake once of supposing that our class as a whole was capable of appreciating the stand she's taken, and I shan't be likely to forget that I was wrong. But this affair was entirely her idea, and she deserves the credit for it." "Oh, indeed," said Jean quickly. "I suppose you didn't send telegrams--" But Madeline, her face white with anger was half way across the big hall. Jean watched her tumultuous progress with a meaning smile. "Well, I've fixed that little game," she reflected. "If they did intend to put her up, they won't dare to now. They'll be afraid of seeing me do the Blunderbuss's act with variations. She'd have been elected fast enough, after this, and there isn't a girl in the class who could do half as well on that committee. But as for having her and that insufferable little Betty Wales on, when I shall be left off, I simply couldn't stand it." Madeline found Betty taking off her doll's dress by dim candle-light, which she hoped would escape the eagle eye of the night-watchman. "I've come to tell you that the wires are all down again," she began, and went on to tell the story of Jean's carefully timed insinuations. "I almost believe that the Blunderbuss was the tool of the Hill crowd," she said angrily. "At any rate they used her while she served, and now they're ready to take a hand themselves." Betty stared at her in solemn silence. "What an awful lot it costs to lose your reputation," she said sadly. "And it costs a good deal
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91  
92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Madeline
 

committee

 

Eleanor

 
suppose
 

Blunderbuss

 

friends

 

Watson

 

taking

 

insufferable

 

intend


simply

 
couldn
 

reflected

 
variations
 
elected
 

afraid

 

served

 

angrily

 

stared

 

solemn


reputation

 

silence

 

escape

 

watchman

 

candle

 
carefully
 

insinuations

 

coldly

 

morrow

 

meeting


member

 

matter

 
toastmistress
 

congratulations

 

flashed

 

perfectly

 

prospects

 

understand

 

lovely

 

despair


classes
 
decided
 

cleverest

 

chairman

 

carelessly

 
feather
 

deserves

 
credit
 
quickly
 

affair