Part 8 (1/2)

”Why shouldn't I join?”

”On the other hand, why should you?”

”Because a society ought to be open to the whole Form, and not just kept amongst a few. We didn't manage things like that in the Upper Fourth.”

”How very kind of you, fresh from the Juniors, to come and give us Seniors a lesson in managing our affairs! Perhaps you'd like to be President? Would that content you?” enquired Hilda Browne sarcastically.

”I don't want to be President, but I claim the right to have some say in the matter. The thing ought to be properly const.i.tuted, and every girl in the Form ought to vote for officers.”

”Well, of all cool proposals!”

”Look here, Gwen Gascoyne, you need suppressing!”

”She's not worth noticing!”

It was only what Gwen had expected, but she felt she had at any rate opened fire. She did not mean to retire vanquished after a first attempt. She now directed her energies to another quarter. She canva.s.sed the entire Form, asking each girl separately if she did not consider the Dramatic Club ought to be put upon a general basis.

Everybody, except those who were already members, agreed. Many had thought the present arrangement unfair, and had grumbled loudly, though n.o.body had had the initiative to start a revolt. Now Joan Masters and Elspeth Frazer took the matter in hand seriously, tackled the clique, and argued the question.

”You may run a private club if you like for your own amus.e.m.e.nt,” said Elspeth, ”but if you're going to call it 'The Fifth Form Dramatic', and give a performance before the other Forms at Christmas, then it must be a fair and open thing. Everyone must be eligible for members.h.i.+p, and officers should be chosen by ballot.”

”Half of you wouldn't be able to join,” declared Hilda Browne.

”That's our own lookout. The point is that we ought to be able to do so if we want. If you persist in keeping it all to yourselves, you may act without an audience, for none of us will come to see you, and we'll tell the other Forms what the quarrel is.”

”I know they'd back us up,” said Joan Masters.

Very unwillingly the clique gave way. They knew they had no just ground for their position, but they had hoped it would not be called in question.

”It's all the fault of Gwen Gascoyne, with her Lower School notions,”

said Rachel Hunter.

”She needn't think she's going to act!” a.s.serted Edith Arnold.

”Don't want to!” rapped out Gwen, who happened to overhear. ”I should miss the bus if I stayed behind after four. I only wanted to see things made fair and square.”

Though the new arrangements were really owing to Gwen's enterprise, n.o.body was willing to accord her any thanks. Joan Masters and Elspeth Frazer received all the credit for having righted the wrong; and though a few might remember that Gwen had started the movement, they were almost ready to agree with Rachel Hunter that it was rather pus.h.i.+ng of an ex-Junior to have taken so much upon herself. They had not yet forgiven her translation to the Fifth, and only the utmost humility on her part would have reconciled them. Humility was certainly not Gwen's characteristic, so she still went by the epithet of ”that cheeky kid” in the Form.

”So much for their grat.i.tude,” confided Gwen to Lesbia. ”I don't want to act, but some of those who have got into the play might at least acknowledge what I've done for them.”

”They seem a hateful set!” sympathized Lesbia.

”Detestable!” said Gwen with unction.

One thing had not been settled by the Dramatic Society, and that was their choice of a President. Names were canva.s.sed freely in the Form, and finally Hilda Browne and Elspeth Frazer were put up as candidates.

Voting was to be by ballot during the interval, but while the papers were being given out Gwen bolted. She was feeling cross and forlorn, and sick of the whole affair.

”I don't mind who's chosen President,” she thought ”It makes no difference to me. They may elect whom they like.”

So she went a solitary little walk round the playground, whistling a tune, and trying to look as if she didn't care about anything. She had not been there very long before she saw Betty Brierley and Ida Young signalling to her from the gymnasium door. She took no notice of their beckonings, whereupon they ran after her, and seizing her one by each arm, began to drag her towards the house.