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A moment of breathless silence followed Jewel Marie Ogden’s confident statement. Three pairs of eyes fixed themselves resolutely upon the complacent freshman. The three astonished post-graduates dared not so much as glance at one another. Leila was the first of the trio to command speech which should convey no hint of the mirthful state of her feelings.
“You have made a mistake about Hamilton Hall,” she said in her direct fashion. “It is not a campus boarding house. It contains only President Matthews’ and the registrar’s offices, and a number of recitation rooms.”
“Oh-h-h.” For the first time since her arrival on the station platform the cocksure stranger exhibited signs of confusion. Chagrin swept a flood of red to her round cheeks. Instant with it, she frowned, casting a suspicious glance at Leila. “You are surely not trying to kid me, are you. It seems to me that as members of the faculty, you should——”
“We are not trying to mislead you. Hamilton’s upper classmen are above such things. Furthermore, we are not members of the faculty. We——”
“But you gave me the impression you were,” flashed back the black-eyed girl half crossly. “Why couldn’t you have said in the first——”
“Pardon me. Permit me to finish what I had begun to say to you.” The courteous dignity of Leila’s tone checked the other’s discourteous speech midway in utterance. “We are post-graduates, and live at Wayland Hall, one of the campus houses. We are always glad to be of service, when we may, to entering freshmen. You have evidently made a mistake regarding Hamilton Hall. Perhaps we can help you.”
“Yes; I’ve made a stupid mistake.” The freshman pettishly shrugged her slim, green-clad shoulders. She made no effort at explaining her mistake to the nonplussed trio of would-be helpers. After a tiny interval of frowning hesitation she shot at them the brisk question: “Which of the campus houses is the best; the highest price, I mean; the one with the most class to it, you know?”
“So far as general excellence is concerned the campus houses rank the same. Wayland Hall is a trifle higher-priced than the others,” Leila answered levelly, fighting back her own rising desire to frown.