"And what did you do?" Allison's tone had hope, threat, condemnation and praise all held in abeyance on her answer.
Leslie drew herself up eagerly, her eyes shining.
"I----? Oh--I wanted to run after her and comfort her, but I had something else to do. I jumped up and offered my resignation to the AOU, and said I wished to withdraw my subscription to the Sorority House, that I couldn't have anything to do with a bunch of girls that would stand for a thing as contemptible and mean as that."
"Of course!" said Allison with a proud look at his sister.
"And Phoebe Kemp jumped up and withdrew hers until they all apologized to Jane, and then Alice Lowe said she'd have to withdraw hers, too--she's given the highest amount subscribed, you know; she has slews of money all in her own right, because she's of age, you know--and then the girls began to get scared and Elsie Dare got right up and said she thought there had been some kind of a mistake--a blunder--they mustn't get excited--they must begin all over, and somebody must go after Jane and bring her back and explain--as if there was any way to explain a bold, bare insult like that!--and they sent a committee after her. They wanted me to go, but I declined to go in their name. I said I had handed in my resignation and I wasn't one of them any more, and they might send somebody who would better represent them, and they said they hadn't accepted my resignation and a lot of stuff, but they sent off a committee to find Jane, and they tried to think up something quickly to say to her, and they got Eunice Brice to crying and made Eugenia real mad so the powder came off her nose from rubbing it so much, and I came away. I've been hunting for Jane for half an hour, but I can't find her in any of the places she always is, and I thought I better come and tell you----"
"That's right. I'll find her----" Allison made one step to the hat-rack and took his hat, then raising his voice: "Cloudy, I've been called away on business suddenly. Don't bother keeping anything for me, I've had all I want----" and he was gone.
Julia Cloud gave a glance at Allison's plate and saw that he had scarcely touched his lunch, and she sighed as she heard Leslie run quickly up the stairs and shut the door of her own room. Was Leslie going to spend the afternoon in weeping?