Later, Robin found an opportunity to confide to Marjorie that she didn't
know how it had happened, for Phil was terribly obstinate when once she
had set her mind against a thing. Nor did Marjorie know until long
afterward that she had been responsible for a decision on Phyllis's part
which was the beginning of a warm friendship between Phyllis and Anna
Towne.
Meanwhile the prospective hostesses of Saturday's outing were spending
the evening in Leslie Cairns' room squabbling over their plans for the
picnic. They could not agree on the refreshments, the amusements, or, in
fact, anything pertaining to the affair. The truth of the matter was
they were already tired of their beneficent project. They had never made
a practice of unselfishly trying to please others, and the process bade
fair to be too difficult for their infinitely small natures.
For once, during the wrangling that went on, Leslie Cairns honestly
tried to keep her temper. The straw that broke the particular camel's
back in her case, however, was an extended argument between Dulcie Vale
and Natalie Weyman regarding the refreshments. These two, with Harriet
Stephens, had been appointed to look after the luncheon. Harriet lazily
expressed herself as indifferent to what the menu should be, provided it
was fit to eat.
"Cut out this scrapping and get down to business, you two," finally
ordered Leslie in her roughest tones. Followed an insulting rebuke from
her that brought a flush to both the wranglers' cheeks. When thoroughly
exasperated Leslie spared no one's feelings. "You decide on what to have
_right now_ and make a list of it. Trot it over to the Colonial early
tomorrow morning. If you leave it until even tomorrow night they may
refuse to handle it. Remember it will take time to pack a luncheon for
one hundred and twenty-eight persons."
"Dulcie wants to serve a regular six-course dinner out in that neck of
the woods," sputtered Natalie. "I am not in favor of such extravagance.
It will cost us enough to have sandwiches, salads, relishes and sweets.
Then there's coffee, chocolate, and imported ginger ale besides. I am
not going to spend my whole month's allowance on a feed for those
greenies."
"If we expect to make an impression on the freshies we ought to do
things in good style," Dulcie hotly contested. "I don't care how much
money it costs me. I have plenty of coin. The trouble with you Nat, is
you're stingy. You buy everything expensive for yourself, but you are
always broke when it comes to treating."
"I'll never forgive you for that, Dulcie Vale," was Natalie's wrathful
retort. "I think you are too----"
"That will be _all_," Leslie cut in sternly. "I said cut out the
scrapping, didn't I? Either do as I say or get out of here. We can run
the picnic minus either of you. Nat is right for once. Why should we
spend a fortune on this affair?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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