Part 19 (1/2)

”He raked us down for being out of practice. Said he would coach us if we'd come regularly to the gym.” Natalie made a contemptuous gesture.

”Tell him to fly away,” shrugged Leslie. ”You don't need his coaching. I have a better plan. Let's be moving.”

The quartette walked away without a word of farewell to Ruth Hale, who had been standing near them. She was also beneath their notice.

”You had a lot to say about _our_ punk playing before the try-out, Les.

What do you think of Lola? She certainly didn't distinguish herself.”

Natalie could not conceal her satisfaction at Lola's failure.

”Don't mention it.” Leslie's heavy brows met. ”I was sore enough at the little dummy to shake her. She let the other five put it all over her. I haven't seen her since she flivvered and I don't want to.”

”She never could play basket ball,” was Natalie's lofty a.s.sertion.

”She didn't show any signs of it yesterday,” Leslie grimly agreed. ”I'll meet you girls at the garage,” she directed with a brusque change of subject. ”I am going over there for my car. It's good way to lose the gang. They won't look for us there.”

”What do you think of Les?” inquired Joan with raised brows as the two girls entered the dressing room. ”Before Lola flivvered she was simply insufferable. Today she is positively affable. She's down on Lola.

That's one reason.”

”I wish she'd stay down on her,” responded Natalie with fervor. ”Les and I have never been as good pals since Lola Elster entered Hamilton.”

”Now listen to me, Nat. Leslie likes you just as well as she ever did.”

Joan broke forth with some impatience. ”She runs around with Lola and Bess Walbert, I know, and makes a fuss over them. She is perfectly aware that it makes you sore. She does it to be tantalizing. Les likes to keep something going all the time. It is a wonder to me that she hasn't been expelled from college for some of the tricks she has put over. What you must do is to pay no attention to her when she is aggravating. Don't quarrel with her. She enjoys that. Simply behave as though you couldn't see her at all. It will cure her. I'd rather see her chummy with you than Lola or Bess, either. Bess Walbert can't tell the truth to save her neck, and Lola is a selfish kid who thinks of no one but herself.”

”That's all true, Joan,” Natalie said with unusual meekness. ”I will really try to treat Les as you suggest.”

It was not necessary that evening to treat Leslie as Joan had advised.

She was amiability itself. After ordering dinner, composed of the most expensive items on the menu, she rested her elbows on the table and announced: ”I am going to hire a coach for you three girls. I have the address of an all-around sportsman who will teach you a few plays that no one can get by.”

”But, Les, we can't do much with only three to play,” objected Joan.

”You don't want those two sticks of juniors at our private practice do you?”

”Not so you could notice them. You won't have to play a trio. The coach will make four and----” Leslie paused. ”I shall make a fifth. I need the exercise. The coach needs the money. Besides, I propose to hire a hall.”

Joan and Natalie t.i.ttered at this last. Leslie smiled in her loose-lipped fas.h.i.+on.

”I met this man at the beach last summer. He was coaching a private track team. He knows every trick in the sports category. He told me there were lots of ways of fussing one's opponents in basket ball besides treating them roughly. He said he had a regular line of what he called 'soft talk' that he had used with splendid effect. He gave me his address and said if ever I needed his services to write him. I had told him enough about the game here so he understood me. I understand him, too. This is my idea,” she continued, leaning far forward and lowering her voice.

For ten minutes she talked on, her listeners paying strict and respectful attention.

”It's a great plan,” admiringly approved Joan when Leslie had finished.

”It will take cleverness and nerve, though.”

”I doubt if I can do it,” deprecated Harriet.

”Certainly you can do it. After you work a week or two with this coach and learn his methods you will be O. K. You will have to give three afternoons a week to it; maybe more. I'll drive to Hamilton and hire that hall tomorrow. I'll wire the coach before we go back to the campus tonight. He's in New York and I can have him here by Sat.u.r.day.”

”It's going to cost oodles of money. Why are you so bent on doing it, Les?” Joan asked curiously.