A DECLARATION OF WAR
The October twilight had fallen before the two girls finished their
walk. When Patience opened her door she did not at first glance see the
huddled figure crouched close to the window. A sound, half sob, half
sigh, caused her to cross the room in an instant.
"Who are you, and what is the trouble?" were her blunt questions.
The girl burrowed her face in her arm and made no answer.
"Get up!" commanded Patience, an imperative note in her voice that
caused the girl to half struggle to her feet, then sink sobbing to her
old position.
"This won't do at all," remonstrated Patience. "You mustn't sit here.
Stop crying instantly." She purposely made her voice coldly
unsympathetic with a view toward summoning the weeper's pride to her
aid.
It had the desired effect. The girl rose from the floor and stumbled
toward the door, her head still hidden on her arm.
With a cry of, "Why, it is Miss Rawle!" Patience sprang forward and
caught the girl by the hand. "You poor child! What has happened to you
to make you cry so?"
"Please don't sympathize with me, Miss Eliot, or I'll break down and cry
again. It isn't anything in particular. I'm just a silly goose, that's
all. Miss West promised to be here this afternoon, and I've been waiting
for her ever since half-past four. I suppose she forgot all about it."
Miss Rawle made a valiant attempt to smile. "Please tell her I was here,
and--and was very sorry I didn't see her." Her lip quivered like that of
a grieved child.
Patience turned on the light, then went over to where Miss Rawle stood.
"Do you wish me to give you a piece of good advice?" she asked with
abrupt frankness, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Yes," responded Miss Rawle in a halfhearted manner.
"Then don't leave any word for Miss West, and don't put yourself within
speaking distance of her for at least a week."
"But--I can't do that. She wouldn't understand----"
"All the better for you," cut in Patience's crisp voice. "You are very
fond of Miss West, aren't you?"
Miss Rawle nodded. "She is so bright and clever and says such smart
things, and can write. I adore cleverness. I'm not a bit clever. I work
dreadfully hard to keep up in my classes. But Kathleen is actually
brilliant, and, besides, she took me to the sophomore reception."
The tall girl listened gravely to this enthusiastic tribute to her
captious roommate. "Very good reasons," she agreed. "Still, I wish you
would try to do what I just suggested. Miss West is like a great many
other clever people, she doesn't appreciate what is easily won."
A deep flush overspread Miss Rawle's face. An angry light leaped into
her blue eyes. Then, meeting Patience's calm glance, she said slowly,
"Do you mean that I force myself upon her?"
"In a measure, yes," was the cool reply. "You are very fond of her and
she knows it, consequently she doesn't value your friendship half as
highly as though she weren't sure of it. You must meet her on her own
ground, and make her realize that you are of as much importance in the
world as she. It may be hard at first, but it will be best for both of
you. Miss West stands in need of a friend, and I am sure you would be
loyal to her."
"How nice in you to say so," returned Miss Rawle, brightening. "I
thought I was angry with you for saying what you did about my forcing
myself upon Kathleen, but I'm not. I am going straight home, now, and
I'll do as you say. Would you mind if I were to come and see you some
time, and won't you take luncheon with me some day at Vinton's?"
Patience smilingly acquiesced to both eager requests, and little Miss
Rawle descended the steps of Wayne Hall and set off for Livingston Hall,
where she lived, looking anything but sorrowful.
"I'll try her way," she planned as she sped along through the soft fall
darkness. "It is worth trying. But I wonder what made her say that
Kathleen stood in need of a friend."
After Miss Rawle had departed, armed and equipped with her newly-born
independence, Patience smiled whimsically to herself as she brushed her
long, fair hair, rebraided it and wound it about her head. It was a
coiffure she had recently adopted at Elfreda's suggestion, and it went
far toward softening the severe outline of her face. "I didn't come to
college to play mentor to any one," she said, half aloud, "nor to give
advice, for that matter. Perhaps I should not have told Miss Rawle to
stay away from Kathleen. It isn't really any of my business. Wouldn't
she be angry if she knew? Shall I tell her? No, I don't believe I will.
If, during a season of adoration, Miss Rawle is indiscreet enough to
tell her, then that is a different matter. But I don't believe she
will."
Patience had just finished doing her hair when the object of her
monologue appeared in the door and after a quick survey of the room
stepped inside.
"Was Miss Rawle here?" she asked abruptly.
"Yes," answered Patience, noncommittally.
"I'm glad I wasn't. She is such a frightful bore. What did she say?"
"She asked me to tell you she was here and was very sorry she missed
you."
"I am very glad I missed her," declared Kathleen, with a shrug. "Deliver
me from 'crushes' of her sort, at least. There are several girls in the
freshman class who look rather interesting, but they are evidently not
anxious to know me," she added, her face darkening.
"Whose fault is it?" asked Patience pointedly.
"Not mine," retorted Kathleen with asperity. Then, turning upon
Patience, she said in a voice shaking with sudden anger: "What do you
mean by asking me such a question? I did not realize the insult it
contained or I wouldn't have answered you."
"I did not intend to be insulting," said Patience, "but candidly I think
you are to blame for whatever attitude the girls here maintain toward
you. Then, again, you do not value your friends. For instance, there is
little Miss Rawle who is really fond of you. Yet you are continually
running away from her. If I were Miss Rawle I would let you severely
alone; you don't deserve her friendship. You don't and can't appreciate
it."
Kathleen stared at Patience in angry amazement. No one had ever before
spoken to her quite so plainly. Then she found her voice.
"I think you are not only insulting, but impertinent and meddlesome as
well. I suppose Miss Rawle complained to you because I didn't keep my
engagement with her and you thought it your duty to take me to task for
it. Understand, once and for all, you are not to interfere in my
affairs. I shall answer to no one for my actions. I did not choose you
for a roommate. You are the last girl I would choose. I won't stand
being criticized and lectured at every turn. Save your criticisms for
those who are silly enough to take them seriously, but please don't
imagine for an instant that what you may think or say carries the
slightest weight with me."
Before Patience could frame a reply the newspaper girl had rushed from
the room, slamming the door with a vehemence that fairly shook the
walls.
She did not return to the room until after dinner, and then only long
enough to slip into her coat and hat. During that brief moment she
neither spoke to nor noticed Patience, who went quietly on with her
studying as though nothing had happened. Kathleen's outburst had made no
impression upon this calm-faced girl, but Patience's all too truthful
words had sunk deeper into the newspaper girl's mind than she cared to
admit.