CHAPTER XIV
WHAT HAPPENED ON BLUE MONDAY
For the next ten minutes the air was rent with the lusty voices of thesophomore chorus and the joyous cheers of their fans. No echoing songarose from freshman lips. The vanquished team had already betakenthemselves to their quarters, but the sophomore players were holding animpromptu reception on the ground they had so hotly contested.
Marjorie and Constance watched them eagerly.
"Go downstairs, girls, and join the hero worshipers," smiled MissArcher. "We will excuse you, won't we, Mrs. Dean?"
"Yes; after the fervent manner in which they hung over the railing itwould be cruel to keep them with us," smiled Mrs. Dean.
"Let's find Jerry and Irma," said Marjorie, as they paused in the opendoorway of the gymnasium.
Hardly had she spoken, when Jerry's unmistakable tones rose behind her.The stout girl was talking excitedly, a rising note of indignation inher voice.
"I tell you I saw her push against Ellen Seymour," she declared. "Youmust have seen her, too, Irma."
"I thought so," admitted Irma, "but I wasn't sure."
"Well, I was. Oh, girls, we were just going upstairs to find you! Nowthat you're here, let's go into the gym, and join the celebration. Idon't know how you feel about it, but I'm glad the sophomores won,"Jerry ended, with an emphatic wag of her head.
"Listen, Jerry," said Marjorie, earnestly, "you were talking so loudlywhen you were behind us that I couldn't help hearing you. Did it seem toyou as though Mignon deliberately pushed against Ellen Seymour?"
"I know she did," reiterated Jerry. "I watched her, for she is alwaysunfair and tricky. Anyone who has ever played on a team could tell. I'msurprised that you----" She stopped abruptly. "I believe you saw her,too. Confess, you did see her; now, didn't you?"
Marjorie nodded.
"Now's your chance to get even with her. Let's go to Miss Archer andtell her," proposed the stout girl. "She'll send for Ellen Seymour andthen, good-bye freshman basketball for a while. But what do you care?You aren't on the team any more. It would serve them right at that."
"Oh, no," Marjorie looked her horror at the bare idea of tale-bearing.
"Just as you say," shrugged Jerry. They were still standing just insidethe door watching the sophomore team receiving congratulations, whenthey beheld a familiar figure in a black gymnasium suit pause squarelyin front of Ellen Seymour. They saw Ellen start angrily, then a confusedmurmur of voices arose and the circle of fans and players closed inabout the two girls.
"What's happened?" demanded Jerry. "Come on, girls." She hurried towardthe crowd, the three girls at her heels. Even as they joined the throngthey heard Mignon declare in a tone freighted with malice! "Youpurposely pushed against me when we ran for the ball in our last playand nearly threw me off my feet. You know that deliberate pushing,striking or any kind of roughness is forbidden, and you could bedisqualified as a player. I do not know where the referee's eyes were, Iam sure, but I do know that you are not fit to be on a team, and I canprove it by the other players of my team. I shall certainly complain toMiss Archer about it the first thing Monday morning."
"All right, I'll meet you in Miss Archer's office the first thing afterchapel," answered Ellen, coolly, ignoring everything save the Frenchgirl's final threat. "Come along, girls." She beckoned to the othermembers of her team, who had listened in blank amazement to the boldaccusation. With her head held high, a careless smile on her fine face,Ellen marched through the crowd, which made way for her, and across thegymnasium to the sophomores' room, accompanied by her team.
"Isn't that a shame?" burst out Jerry. "Ellen will have an awful time toprove herself innocent. She never touched Mignon. It was Mignon whopushed her away. I saw her with my own eyes, and so did you, Marjorie.Say," she looked blankly at Marjorie, "do you suppose it's our duty togo to Miss Archer and tell her what we saw?"
"I--don't--know." The words came doubtfully. "Perhaps it will all blowover. I hate to carry tales. Suppose we wait until Monday and see?Mignon may change her mind. Even if she doesn't, Miss Archer may notlisten to her. But, if she should, then we'll have to do it, Jerry. Itwouldn't be fair to Ellen to keep still about it; I heard Miss Archertell mother Monday that she would not tolerate the least bit ofroughness in the girls' games. She knew of several schools where girlshad been tripped or knocked down and seriously hurt. She said that ifany reports of rough playing were brought to her she would 'dealseverely with the offender.' Those were her very words."
"All right; we'll wait," agreed Jerry. "I'm not crazy about reportingeven Mignon. Ellen can take care of herself, I guess."
So the matter was apparently settled for the time, and the four girlsstrolled home discussing the various features of the game.
"How did you like the game, Captain?" she asked, saluting, as an hourlater she entered the living-room, where her mother sat reading.
"Very well, indeed," replied her mother, laying down her magazine."Neither Miss Archer nor I understand all the fine points of the game,but we managed to keep track of most of the plays. By the way, Marjorie,when you go to school on Monday morning, I wish you to take thismagazine to Miss Archer. It contains an article which I have marked forher. It is quite in line with a discussion we had this afternoon."
"I'll remember," promised Marjorie, and when Monday morning came shekept her word, starting for school with the magazine under her arm.
"I'll run up to Miss Archer's office with it after chapel," she decided.
When the morning service was over, Marjorie returned to the study hall,and obtained Miss Merton's grudging permission to execute hercommission.
"I wish to see Miss Archer," she said shortly, as Marcia Arnold lookedup from her writing just long enough to cast a half insolent glance ofinquiry in her direction.
"You can't see her. She's busy."
The color flew to Marjorie's cheeks at the bold refusal. Her firstimpulse was to turn and walk away. She could see Miss Archer later. Thenher natural independence asserted itself, and she determined to standher ground at least long enough to discover whether or not Miss Archerwere really too busy to be seen.
"Then I'll wait here until she is at liberty."
Marcia frowned and seemed on the verge of further unpleasantness whenthe sound of a buzzer from the inner office sent her hurrying toward it.As she opened the door, Marjorie caught a fleeting glimpse of twopersons; one was Miss Archer, her face set and stern, the other MignonLa Salle, her black eyes blazing with satisfaction.
"Oh!" gasped Marjorie, remembering Mignon's threat, "she is reportingpoor Ellen."
The door swung open again and the secretary glided past her and out intothe corridor with the peculiar sliding gait that had caused Jerry toliken her to a "nice, wriggly snake."
"She is going to bring Ellen here," guessed Marjorie.
Sure enough, within five minutes Marcia returned, followed by EllenSeymour, whose pale, defiant face meant battle. Again the door of theinner office closed with a portending click. Marcia Arnold did notreturn to the outer office.
Marjorie waited apprehensively, wondering if Ellen were holding herown. Then to her utter amazement, the secretary appeared with a sulky,"Miss Archer wants you," and returned to her desk.
"Good morning, Miss Dean," was the principal's grave salutation. "I didnot know until I asked Miss Arnold to go for you that you were in theouter office."
"I have been waiting to give you the magazine that mother promised you.She asked me to say to you that she had marked the article she wishedyou to read."
"Please thank your mother for me," returned Miss Archer, her facerelaxing, "and thank you for bringing it. To return to why I sent foryou, you understand the game of basketball, do you not?"
"Yes," answered Marjorie, simply.
"You have played on a team?" inquired the principal.
"Yes."
"Did I not see you at practice with the freshmen shortly before thegame?"
Marjorie colored hotly. "I made the team,
but afterward was asked toresign because I did not play well enough."
"Who asked you to resign?"
"The note was signed by the manager of the team."
"And is that the reason you stopped playing?" broke in Ellen Seymour,with impulsive disregard for her surroundings. "I might have known it."
Then she whirled upon Mignon in a burst of indignation as scathing as itwas unexpected.
"How contemptible you are! I haven't the least doubt that you are toblame for Miss Dean's leaving the team. You knew her to be a skilfulplayer and you were afraid she would outplay you. You know, too, thatwhen we jumped for the ball Saturday you purposely pushed me away fromit, almost throwing me down. It didn't do you the least bit of good, andbecause you are spiteful you have set out to disgrace me and put a stainon the sophomores' victory."
"How dare you? You are not telling the truth! Prove your charge againstme, if you can," challenged Mignon, with blazing eyes.
"It will be easier to prove than yours against me," flung back Ellen.
"Girls, this is disgraceful! Not another word." Miss Archer's tone ofstern command had an immediate effect on the belligerents.
"Please pardon me, Miss Archer." There was real contrition in Ellen'svoice. "I didn't mean to be so rude. I lost control of my temper."
Mignon, however, made no apology. Her elfish eyes turned from Marjorieto Ellen with an expression of concentrated hate.
"Now, girls," began Miss Archer, firmly, "we are going to settle thisdifficulty here in my office before anyone of you goes back to herclasses. That is the reason I have sent for Miss Dean. When Miss LaSalle entered her complaint against you, Miss Seymour, I decided thatyou should have a chance to speak in your own behalf. No sooner were youbrought face to face than one accused the other of treachery. From thefront row of the gallery, where I sat on the afternoon of the game, Icould see every move of the players, but my eyes were not sufficientlytrained to detect the roughness of which you accuse each other. Then Iremembered that Miss Dean sat next to me and that she was a seasonedplayer. So I sent for her to ask her in your presence if she saw thealleged roughness on the part of either of you."
There was a half-smothered exclamation of dismay from Marjorie. Ellenwas regarding her in mute appeal. Mignon's lips curled back in a sneer.It was dreadful to remain under a cloud.
"I am waiting for you to speak, Miss Dean."
Marjorie drew a long breath. "Miss Seymour spoke the truth. I saw MissLa Salle purposely push Miss Seymour away from the ball. Someone elsesaw her, too--someone who sat on the other side of the gallery." Hertones carried unmistakable truth with them.
"It isn't true! It isn't true!" Mignon's voice rose to an enragedshriek. "She only says so because she wants to pay me for making herresign from the team."
"What did I tell you?" asked Ellen Seymour, triumphantly. "She admitsthat she was responsible for that resignation."
"That will do," commanded Miss Archer, raising her hand.
Ellen subsided meekly.
Realizing that she had said too much, Mignon quieted as suddenly as shehad burst forth.
"Miss Dean, are you perfectly sure of what you say?" questioned MissArcher.
"I am quite sure," was the steady answer.
A seemingly endless silence followed Marjorie's reply. The principalsurveyed the trio searchingly.
"What girls comprise the freshman team?" At last she put the questioncoldly to Mignon.
The French girl sulkily named them. Miss Archer made note of theirnames. The principal then pressed the buzzer that summoned hersecretary.
"Send these young women to me at once," she directed, handing Marcia theslip of paper.
Turning to the three girls before her she said, "Miss Seymour, you maygo back to the study hall. Unless you hear from me further you areexonerated from blame. I shall not need you either, Miss Dean. I amsorry that I was obliged to involve you in this affair, but I am gladthat you were not afraid to tell the truth."
Marjorie turned to follow Ellen Seymour from the room, when the dooropened and the freshman basketball team filed in. For a brief instantthe principal's attention was fixed upon the entering girls, and in thatinstant Mignon found time to mutter in Marjorie's ear, "I'll neverforgive you for this and you'll be sorry. Just wait and see if you'renot."