Leila turned away from the door. Characteristic of her was the virtue of finality. She could not dwaddle over a situation.
Her retreat was a signal to the other four girls. They made conscientious effort to say good-night as pleasantly as they had saluted Miss Monroe. She, on the contrary, began to show a first faint sign of interest in her callers. Leila’s information caused the Irish girl to rise in her opinion. She decided that she might be entertained by a little further talk with her.
“Will you—er—won’t you——?” She spoke directly to Leila’s back as the latter continued to move slowly down the corridor. Leila did not turn her head. Marjorie, walking behind her heard and turned her face toward the girl in the doorway. Again Miss Monroe subjected her to a protracted, nearly hostile stare. Then she went into her room and closed the door with a force that was anything but indifferent.
During the few steps down the stairs and back to the dining room no one spoke. At the door Vera relieved her pent-up feelings by softly exclaiming: “Stung!” bringing one small hand down smartly upon the other. The unaccustomed slang from dainty Midget cleared the snubbed P. G.’s cloudy atmosphere with a soft chorus of giggles.
Miss Remson listened to Kathie’s account of their defeated errand with “Hum!” “Why, the idea!” and “Too bad!” Kathie had not said a word to Miss Monroe save to acknowledge the introduction Marjorie made and “Good-night.” She now simply repeated the conversation as nearly as she could, placing no unfavorable stress on Miss Monroe’s rude reception of the quintette.
“The way Kathie has told you about our call is the way we are all trying to feel about it,” Marjorie said earnestly. “As good P. G.’s we must overlook more than ever what we may think is out of place. Miss Monroe isn’t used to American girls, I suppose. Perhaps she thinks we are too eager, or that we haven’t elegant repose, or——” She glanced inquiringly at her friends: “I don’t know what she thinks.”
“Let me say it for the rest of you. I have known a few like this girl in England, but none so pretty. She will be pleasant? Ah, yes; but who knows when?” Leila flashed a canny smile. “She did not ache to know us tonight. Her taste will not have improved by tomorrow; nor for many a long day.”