were doing for her. And now, without
having the slightest idea of having done anything wrong, she had annoyed
Aunt Julia. She was thankful Hortense had not mentioned the episode of
the cruel driver, and that her wrist no longer required a bandage. What
would her aunt say if she knew of this delinquency as well as the other?
But Marjorie was a very honest, truthful girl, and she decided to make a
clean breast of everything to Uncle Henry when he came home. There was
only one thing she could not understand, and that was why Elsie should
have objected to her going to New Haven with the Randolphs.

CHAPTER XIV

THE POETRY CLUB

THERE was a marked coolness in Elsie's manner to her cousin the next
morning, which Marjorie found decidedly uncomfortable as well as
perplexing, but even Elsie was not proof against the weakness of
curiosity, and after a few veiled hints, which Marjorie quite failed to
understand, she finally softened, and demanded a full account of
yesterday's doings, which her cousin was only too glad to give.

"Tell me about Lulu Bell," said Elsie, when Marjorie had reached the
part of her story where they had arrived at New Haven, and gone to lunch
at the hotel restaurant. "Did Beverly Randolph pay her a lot of
attention?"

"Why, no, I don't think so," said Marjorie, innocently, "at least not
any more than he paid to any of us. He was very polite to everybody, and
I think he's the nicest boy I've ever met."

"Probably that is because you have never met many people except
Mexicans and Indians," remarked Elsie sarcastically.

Marjorie, who had a quick temper of her own, flushed angrily, and was
just going to say something sharp when Mrs. Carleton called them to get
ready for church. Sunday was always a homesick day with Marjorie; there
was not so much to do as on week-days, and she generally wrote a long
home letter in the afternoon. Mr. Carleton had returned in time for
breakfast, but it was not until after luncheon that Marjorie succeeded
in getting him to herself. Then he proposed taking a walk, and asked the
girls to accompany him. Elsie protested that she was too tired after the
exertions of yesterday, but Marjorie gladly accepted her uncle's
invitation, and it was during that walk that she told her little story,
concealing nothing not even the battle royal with the brutal driver. Mr.
Carleton could not help smiling over his niece's account of that affair,
although he grew grave again in a mo