WHEN FRIENDS FALL OUT
"What has happened to the Semper Fidelis Club? Did such a worthy
organization ever exist, or did I merely dream?" inquired Arline Thayer,
walking suddenly into the living room at Wayne Hall one evening, where
Grace sat idly turning the pages of a magazine, at the same time trying
to decide the best possible way of spending her evening.
"Oh, Arline!" she exclaimed. "I am so glad you came. You are just
in time. I was trying to decide what I had better do this evening.
For a wonder, I haven't a line of studying to worry me. But there are
so many other things I ought and wish to do. My correspondence is fast
going to rack and ruin, and I owe at least a dozen calls, the
drop-in-in-the-evening kind. Anne wants me to go for a walk, and Elfreda
and Miriam are determined I shall go to see 'Les Miserables' at the
motion picture theatre on Main Street. They saw 'The Taming of the
Shrew' one evening last week, and came home ardent moving picture fans."
"I saw it, too," replied Arline. "It was wonderfully well acted, and the
photography and arrangement of the scenes were excellent. Suppose we
gather the club in, and go to see 'Les Miserables' in a body?"
"I could please the populace and myself at the same time by taking your
advice, couldn't I?" Grace cast a laughing glance toward Arline.
"Of course you could," urged Arline. "Don't stand upon the order of your
going, but go at once and tell Elfreda and Miriam what we propose doing.
Anne can take her walk some other time, and your letters can languish
unanswered a little longer. I'm going to hurry back to Morton House for
Ruth and Gertrude. We will pick up the Emerson twins on our way here,
and also Elizabeth Wade and Marian. You can ask Emma and the others."
"What about Patience?" asked Grace.
"By all means ask her. We want her in the club, too. The only objection
is that she will be the thirteenth member. That is the reason I haven't
proposed her name before this. We shall be obliged to ask some one else
to make fourteen."
"Arline," Grace's tone caused her friend to eye her sharply, "do you
suppose we ought to ask Kathleen West to join our club?"
"No." Arline's blue eyes grew resentful. Her "no" was coldly incisive.
"If she is asked to join the club, I shall immediately resign."
Grace looked her surprise at this uncompromising statement. She had not
reckoned on Arline's opposition to an idea which had been steadily
forcing itself upon her since the beginning of her senior year. Ever
since the last days of her junior year, when Alberta Wicks had made
plain what seemed obscure in the case of Kathleen West, Grace had
experienced a generous desire to recompense the newspaper girl for the
fancied slight she had received at their hands.
Toward Grace and her three friends Kathleen still preserved the same
antagonistic attitude. So far Grace had been unable to discover any way
in which at least a semblance of friendly relations might be
established. The idea of asking Kathleen to join the club had suddenly
occurred to her, and in her usual impetuous fashion she had given voice
to it. Arline's sharp "no" was in the nature of a dash of cold water to
impulsive Grace, and she now regarded her friend with troubled eyes.
"Why are you so bitter against Kathleen?" she asked. "You have no
personal grievance against her, have you?"
"You know perfectly well that she tried to prevent the club from giving
the bazaar, and you know of other contemptible things she has done. A
girl who would work directly against Semper Fidelis on the outside,
wouldn't make a particularly desirable member. At least that is my
opinion." Arline compressed her lips, looking very dignified.
"I didn't dream you felt so opposed to her," said Grace quietly. "Still,
it will do no particular hurt to ask her to go with us to-night. I hate
to go to her room to invite Patience and leave her out. Besides, I think
Patience would wish her to go. Confidentially, Arline, she and Patience
had some sort of understanding the other day and now they appear to be
almost friends."
"I'm sorry, Grace, but I won't go to-night if you invite Miss West. I am
willing to do almost anything else to please you, but I simply can't
endure her, and I don't intend to have my evening spoiled. I should
prefer not to go. After all, I don't know that it matters much whether I
go or not." With a gesture of superb indifference Arline rose to depart.
Grace was at her side in an instant. "Daffydowndilly Thayer, you know
you care," she smiled, putting her finger under Arline's chin. "You are
not half as hard-hearted as you would have me think."
Arline drew away from her with a pettish little shrug. "You can't make
me feel differently about her, Grace. Please don't try. If she goes
to-night, I shan't. You may choose between us. If you are afraid of
offending her by asking Patience to go and leaving her out, then I will
invite Patience to go."
"I am not afraid to ask Patience to go with us in Miss West's presence,"
was Grace's proud response, "although I believe it would be kinder not
to ask either of them as long as they appear to be friends. Patience
wouldn't feel hurt or slighted, and that would make the party strictly
Semper Fidelis." Grace spoke evenly, although there was a note of
constraint in her voice. "But, please, don't misinterpret my feeling in
the matter as one of fear."
Arline made no answer, and the two girls left the living room in
silence.
"I'll see you in half an hour," was Arline's sole comment.
"Shall we meet here?" asked Grace. "It is nearer the theatre and quite
central."
"Very well." Arline walked to the hall door, her golden head held very
high. Grace took a half step toward her, hesitated, then turned and
walked quietly up the stairs to carry the invitation to the Semper
Fidelis girls.
She stopped first at the door of Emma Dean's room. Emma answered her
knock with a cheerful "Come in."
"As a loyal member of Semper Fidelis it is your duty to turn out with
your sisters and attend a motion picture show," declaimed Grace from the
threshold.
"No urging is necessary," responded Emma, rising from her chair and
going to the closet for her wraps. "I am nothing if not loyal, and I
adore picture shows."
"Meet me in the living room in five minutes, then. I must see Patience,"
returned Grace, but she could not help hoping as she walked down the
hall that she would find Patience alone.