CHAPTER X--A WRATHFUL AWAKENING

Despite the good offices of her chums as peace makers, Haughty Gus, as Jerry had privately named Augusta Forbes, refused to be placated.

"They were making fun of me, I _know_," she persisted. "You can't say anything that will make me change my opinion." This to Calista Wilmot, who had endeavored to reason with her.

"Talk with Miss Dean yourself, Gus," calmly advised Charlotte. "You will find out in about two minutes that she is a perfect darling. Miss Macy is nice, too. Both of those girls are true blue."

"You and Flossie act like a couple of geese about those seniors," criticized Anna Perry, who chanced to be present at the discussion.

"The two sensitive plants." Charlotte indicated Gussie and Florence with a wave of the hand.

It being a rainy Saturday afternoon, the five girls were sitting about Calista's and Charlotte's room drinking the fruit lemonade which Calista had just finished making.

Augusta and Florence both giggled at Charlotte's fling, by no means offended.

"Don't care," defied Gussie. "When I am sore at anyone it is because I have good reason to be. No one can ridicule me and get away with it."

"You talk like an offended potentate, Gus," Calista told her.

"Why shouldn't I, if I want to?" Gussie demanded.

"Why? Because you are a lowly freshman. You ought to be meek along with the lowly; only you aren't."

"I guess not. Don't intend to be ever. I am just as important in my own way as any of those old seniors."

"No, you are not," Calista contradicted with great decision. "None of us are--yet. Those girls have three more years of accomplishment to their credit than we. That's the way I look at it. Besides, I hear they are the best-liked crowd on the campus. Miss Dean is considered the sweetest, kindest girl at Hamilton. Miss Lynne is a wonderful dancer. All of them have something especial they are noted and prized for in college. They have done noteworthy things. We are lucky to be noticed by them."

"Not when they merely notice us to poke fun at us," persisted Gussie stubbornly.

"You are hopeless." Calista threw up her hands in despair. "You will have to learn the truth of what I've said for yourself. I see that plainly."

"I'll never learn it, for I don't see things as you do, at all," Gussie retorted, determined to have the last word.

A few days afterward Augusta announced proudly at the dinner table that she had been invited to the freshman frolic. She was greatly elated to find that she had been the first of the group of five Bertram girls, who usually kept together, to be invited to the merry-making. More, she crowed over the fact that her escort-to-be was a junior. Announcing, however, that it was Elizabeth Walbert who had invited her, she met with the disapproval of Calista and Charlotte.

"How could you accept, Gus?" reproached Calista. "You know how that girl misrepresented Miss Dean to us. Of course, I _know_ you have a grudge against Miss Dean. _I_ am sure Miss Dean is truthful. I am positive Miss Walbert _isn't_."

"You don't really know much about Miss Dean," sputtered Gussie, growing angry. "You only think you do. I wish you wouldn't mention that girl's name to me. She makes me tired, and so do you. If Miss Walbert isn't truthful, it won't take me long to discover it. At least, she is thoughtful enough to invite me to the reception. Your wonderful Miss Dean hasn't invited you."

Calista merely laughed. "You large-sized infant, give her time. You happen to be the first person I've heard of thus far, with an invitation."

The next evening Calista announced, a triumphant twinkle in her shrewd black eyes, that Miss Dean had invited her to the frolic.

"Miss Macy has invited Charlotte. We have all been asked to go to Miss Dean's room this evening for a spread. She and her crowd want to meet the rest of you girls and invite you to the dance. Miss Dean says Miss Harper was going to invite you, Gus. Now you see what you've missed by accepting that horrid Miss Walbert's invitation. Miss Harper is a power here at Hamilton. She's considered the most original girl who ever attended this college."

"Mercy!" was Gussie's sarcastic reception of this piece of information. "Don't worry about me. I'm satisfied. I sha'n't go near Miss Dean's room."

"All right, suit yourself," Calista replied in a tired voice. "I am all through bothering my head about you, Gus. Have things your own way and see trouble in the long run. I'll make your apologies to Miss Dean and Miss Harper, then I'm done."

"Apologies, nothing," scoffed Gussie. "Tell 'em _I said they made me tired_, and to keep a hundred miles away from me."

Secretly she was regretful of the fact that she had too quickly accepted an invitation from a student for whom she cherished no special preference. In her heart she did not like Elizabeth Walbert, but she had not yet become clearly conscious of this.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, had invited Augusta merely to serve her own ends. A cutting remark on Gussie's part during their first acquaintance concerning the Lookouts had resolved Elizabeth to cultivate the disgruntled freshman's society. Possessed of a reckless spirit, Gussie would be just the one to help in any scheme she might plan against the girls she detested.

As neither had the remotest conception of the other's true character, they were both due to take part in a summary awakening. On the evening of the hop, Elizabeth lingered at the Lotus with two juniors until after seven o'clock. In consequence Gussie's chums had gone on to the gymnasium with their escorts an hour before Elizabeth knocked on Gussie's door. Always impatient of delay, Augusta was growing momentarily more incensed as time slid by and she remained waiting and neglected. Her reception of the junior was sulky rather than affable.

Arrived at the frolic too late for the grand march and minus the usual corsage bouquet of flowers which Elizabeth had forgotten to order sent to Augusta, the tall freshman felt distinctly aggrieved. Not one of her chums were without violets or orchids, generously provided by their escorts.

Courtesy, which had not been shown her, she reflected sullenly, pleaded with her not to flash forth her frank opinion to her escort of these lapses. Gussie, however, was at the boiling point and ready to bubble over at a word.

The climax to Augusta's displeasure was reached when after two dances with her, Elizabeth deserted her for the society of Alida Burton and Lola Elster. While neither of the latter students liked Elizabeth, both were anxious to find out whether she had seen and talked with Leslie Cairns.

"There's Walbert across the room," Lola had remarked in an undertone to Alida. "Let's find out what she knows about Les. We can jolly her along for awhile and then shake her. She's always crazy to have us notice her. You pump her; and then I will. Be careful what you say to her. Get all she knows, but don't give up any information about anyone or anything."

Shortly after ten o'clock Gussie disappeared from the scene of revelry. She was so angry she felt as though her brown eyes must emit sparks. On account of her spleen against their escorts she had foolishly declined to go near her chums. She was sore at heart and jealous of the new friendships they had formed. Chiefly, her ire was directed against Elizabeth.

"Just wait until I have a good chance to tell _her_ a few things," she wrathfully ruminated as she scudded across the campus in the moonless darkness. "I wouldn't have neglected a rag doll the way she slighted me!"

"Where's Gus?" Charlotte inquired of Flossie Hart late that evening. Flossie had amiably gone to Marjorie's spread and there buried the hatchet. "I haven't seen her for over an hour. I'm afraid she isn't having a good time. I haven't seen her dancing much. I asked her to dance, but she turned up her nose and said, 'Go dance with your seniors.'"

Charlotte laughed. "I hope she _hasn't_ had a good time. It will teach her to keep away from that Miss Walbert. Every time I've seen Miss Walbert tonight she has been with those two seniors, Miss Burton and--I can't remember the other's name. She's small and dark and wears awfully flashy, mannish-looking suits. You know the one I mean."

Flossie nodded. "Too bad Gus wouldn't be agreeable," she said wistfully. "I have had a fine time tonight. She might have, too. It's her own fault if she hasn't."

After the frolic the eight Travelers residing at Wayland Hall stopped in Ronny's room for a chat before retiring.

"Will you have tea, chocolate,--what will you have?" hospitably inquired Ronny. "You can't have lemonade at this hour of the night. Besides, I have no lemons."

"Whoever heard of lemonade without lemons?" derided Muriel.

"No one. I merely said you couldn't have it, etc.," Ronny sweetly asserted.

"I don't care for either eats or drinks," declined Jerry. "I am just hanging around in here for a few minutes to hear what I can hear."

"Same with me. It is comfy and sociable to compare notes after a jollification, even if one is sleepy." Marjorie beamed drowsily on her chums. "Girls," she sat up suddenly, "what has become of Miss Forbes? I didn't see her after ten o'clock. I sent half a dozen girls over to ask her to dance. I thought Miss Walbert neglected her. She had no flowers, either."

"I noticed that. Poor _infant terrible_!" Ronny smiled.

"I sent Martha and Ethel Laird to make her acquaintance," Leila said. "Even though she would have none of me, I remembered my fine old Irish manners."

"You're a credit to old Ireland, Hamilton, or any other spot you happen to set your distinguished Irish foot upon," Marjorie laughingly assured.

"I am that," Leila blandly agreed. "I prefer myself any day to Miss Walbert."

Gussie Forbes had too late arrived at the same opinion. The dance over, Florence Hart had found her curled up in an arm chair fast asleep. She had not removed her party gown and a suspicious pinkness about her eyelids suggested tears. Awakened, she was not tearful at all. She launched forth in a bitter tirade against her discourteous escort.

"You wait, Floss," she said, her eyes flashing. "I won't forget this evening, in a hurry! Some day before the year's over, Miss Smarty Walbert will understand that I _haven't_ forgotten it. First time I meet her I shall tell her what I think of her. That won't be the end of it. Later, I'll pay her up for this evening! See if I don't!"