Part 20 (1/2)
”Will you allow me to try in some measure to express my appreciation for your kindness to my daughter, Mignon? You have more than fulfilled the request I made of you on a certain afternoon of last Spring. It is of a truth a great gratification to me to see my Mignon thus surrounded by such estimable young women as yourself and your friends.
It is most pleasurable to me that you have honored her with an office in your club. I rejoice also to observe the important part she took in the Campfire. I feel that you will never regret the consideration you have so graciously shown her. If at any time you desire my services, you have but to command me. With extreme grat.i.tude and the good wishes for your constant success,
”Most sincerely yours, ”Victor La Salle.”
Marjorie stared at the note, divided between appreciation and dismay. It was a delightful note, but it was also most inopportune. In the face of it, she could not now advocate Jerry's plan. Sudden remembrance of her pet.i.tion for a sign rushed over her. It had been granted. This, then, was the sign. It had served to remind her where her duty lay. All she could do was to accept it. It would not be easy. Jerry was up in arms.
It would be difficult to win her over, especially after she had been informed of Lucy's unreasonable stand. Now it remained to Marjorie to do one of two things. She could go to Mr. La Salle and shatter his faith in her, or she could insist that Mignon must be allowed to escape punishment for her offenses against the Golden Rule. She painfully decided that for her father's sake, Mignon should be allowed to remain in the club. Having come to this decision she soberly gathered up her roses and carried them and the letter downstairs to show both to her captain. To the latter she confided nothing of her latest problem. She had reserved the story to tell at some more fitting moment.
School over for the afternoon, the three Lookouts, who were presently to hold a private session at the Deans, strolled down the street with their chums, keeping a discreet silence regarding their intention. Muriel and Irma soon left them to take their turn at the nursery. Susan, Harriet and Veronica Browning eventually reached their parting of the ways, leaving the trio together.
”Now, Marjorie, tell us everything,” was Jerry's instant command as they swung three abreast down the street.
Obediently Marjorie gave a faithful account of her interview with Lucy Warner. ”I haven't the least idea why Lucy is angry,” she confessed. ”I don't know whether she is cross with me, or with the Lookouts.”
”I can set you right about that,” declared Jerry grimly. ”Mignon told Esther Lind this morning that Lucy told her that she intended to have nothing more to do with you. That eliminates the rest of us. You're it, Marjorie. Now you see what sort of girl Mignon is. When I asked her why Lucy wasn't at the Campfire on Sat.u.r.day night she pretended to be very innocent. It seems that she can't keep her troubles to herself. She has to tell someone. After she told she asked Esther to promise that she wouldn't mention it to anyone. Esther wouldn't promise. She came straight to me with it. She thinks, as I do, that we ought to ask Mignon to resign from the club.”
”Haven't you the least idea why Lucy is down on you, Marjorie?” was Constance's thoughtful question.
”No.” Marjorie shook a despondent head. ”I've never said or done anything to hurt her feelings.”
”The club meets on Thursday night at my house,” announced Jerry briskly.
”What I propose to do is to call an informal meeting there to-morrow night, minus Mignon. We can state our grievances and have Irma set them down on paper. Then she can read them out. If everyone approves of them, we'll have Irma copy them and write a letter to Mignon asking for her resignation. We'll sign the letter, enclose the list of grievances and mail it to her. That's really the best way to do. It will save a lot of fuss.”
”I think that would be most cruel and unkind, Jerry,” Marjorie burst forth in shocked criticism.
”I fail to see it in that light.” For the first time since the beginning of their friends.h.i.+p Jerry was distinctly out of sorts with her beloved friend. ”Don't be so babyish, Marjorie. There's a limit to all things.”
”I think what you just proposed would certainly be the limit.”
Unconsciously Marjorie answered in Jerry's own slangy vernacular. ”Let me tell you something.” Rapidly she recounted the incident of the receipt of the roses and note from Mr. La Salle. ”I must admit,” she continued, ”that I had intended to say to you to-night that you had better call a special meeting. I didn't realize then how humiliating it would be for Mignon. I saw those beautiful flowers and read that nice note and I felt dreadfully ashamed. It was just as though I had already failed to keep faith with Mr. La Salle. It is terrible to fail someone who believes in one. I've often said that to you.”
”Of course it is. That's why I am so disgusted with Mignon. She has failed all of us,” Jerry flashed back. ”We can't have our club spoiled just to please Mignon's father. He makes me weary. It would be a good thing if he'd take a hand at reforming his daughter, instead of leaving the job to us.” Jerry was growing momentarily angrier with Marjorie.
”You ought to stand up for yourself, instead of being so foolish as to allow Mignon to make a goose of you,” she finished rudely.
”Why, Jerry Macy!” Marjorie's brown eyes registered sorrowful amazement.
”Don't Jerry Macy me.” The stout girl jerked her hand roughly from Marjorie's arm. ”You make me tired, Marjorie Dean. If you can't fight for yourself then someone else will.”
”I can fight my own battles, thank you.” Marjorie's clear retort was freighted with injured dignity. Slow to anger, she was now thoroughly nettled.
”Girls, girls, don't quarrel,” intervened Constance, who had thus far taken no part in the altercation. The trio had now pa.s.sed inside the Deans' gate and halted on the stone walk.
”I don't wish to quarrel with Jerry,” a.s.serted Marjorie coldly, ”but I cannot allow her to accuse me of being cowardly. You have said, Jerry,”
she eyed her explosive friend unflinchingly, ”that Lucy Warner is angry with me, and not with the other girls. Very well. It is therefore Lucy's and my affair. We should be the ones to decide what shall be done with Mignon. Personally, I prefer to drop the matter. You may go to Lucy, if you choose, and ask her her views. I doubt, though, if she will give them. As it now stands I think it would be better to bear with Mignon for her father's sake. This is our last year in high school. Let us not darken it by trying to retaliate against Mignon.”
”I think Marjorie is right, Jerry,” declared Constance.
”Very good. Have it your own way. There will be no special meeting.