But suddenly Nan, as well as those about her, were quite startled by Bess Harley's shrill outburst.
"Linda Riggs!" she cried. "You are the very meanest girl I ever saw! If you say another mean thing about Nan Sherwood I'll box your ears for you!" and the superheated Bess advanced upon her antagonist, her hand raised, prepared to put her threat into execution.
"Well! I would have boxed her ears, I don't care!" Bess gasped, when Nan succeeded in pulling her down into her chair. "You ought to have heard what she said about you----"
"I'm glad I didn't," Nan answered and sighed. "And one good thing--it broke up that foolish speech-making. I'm so ashamed----"
"Of me!" flared up Bess. "I was only standing up for you."
"Hereafter, dear, do your standing up, sitting down," laughed Nan, hugging her still overwrought chum.
"Well," pouted the tearful Bess, "I--I don't care!"
"Isn't that just as well?" Nan observed, rather gravely. "Suppose your mother heard of your wanting to box a girl's ears in a public place like this car? And how Professor Krenner looked at you!"
"Oh, I don't care for him," muttered Bess.
"Of course you do. He will be one of our teachers."
"That Riggs girl says that none of the girls at the Hall think much of Professor Krenner," grumbled Bess. "They say he's cracked."
"I wouldn't repeat what that Riggs girl says," admonished Nan, with some sharpness. It exasperated her for Bess to show that she had been influenced at all by the rude rich girl.
"Well, I've found out I don't like her," Bess sighed.
"I discovered I didn't, before," Nan rejoined, dryly.
"But she'll tell awful stories about us at Lakeview Hall," Bess said with a worried air.
"Let her tell," scoffed the more sensible Nan.
"We--ell! We don't want to begin school with all the girls against us."
"They'll not be. Do you suppose that girl has much influence with the nice, sensible girls who attend Lakeview Hall?"
"We--ell!" exclaimed Bess, again. "She's rich."
"Bess! I'm astonished at you," declared Nan, with some heat. "Any one to hear you would think you a money-worshipper. How can you bear to be friends with me when my folks are poor."
Bess began to laugh at her. "Poor?" she repeated. "And your dear mother just fallen heir to fifty thousand dollars?"