MARJORIE’S ESCORT.
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, 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.