“Shall we ever get any studying done?” whispered Lilian aside to Hilary. Hilary gave her only a bright glance in reply, and nodded an affirmative.

“Now let me get all the names straight, Betty,” said her mother. “This dear child who took me for you is Eloise Winthrop, and Helen is the one you wrote me about,—is from the South.” Betty and Helen both nodded.

“And I’m Pauline, from the big ranch,” assisted Pauline, as Betty’s mother hesitated, looking at her.

“O, yes, and Juliet Howe is your ‘Shadow’!”

“She has not come yet, but I’m looking for her any minute. O, the fun we are going to have!”

“But I thought Helen had a different roommate.”

“She did, Diane Percy,—they were the ‘Imps.’ But Diane can not come, at least this first semester. And Eloise’s roommate is not coming back. Hence, therefore, consequently, Mamma, old Helen and old Eloise are going to try to get along together if they can. They are feeling badly about it, but are trying not to show it before company.”

At this, Eloise took out her handkerchief, and turned her face aside a little as if to wipe away an imaginary tear. Helen thrust her hands into her jacket pocket and assumed an expression of stony woe.

“You mischievous girls!” exclaimed Betty’s mother. “I hope that you will have a good time, but don’t forget what you are here for.”

Nobody of this happy company noticed a sober little face and lonely little figure at the far end of the long stone bench with its quaint carvings. “My, what a pretty mother,” she was thinking. “I did not know mothers were like that. My mother had a sweet face, though,” and she opened the small bag which she was carrying and drew out a picture. “Where am I, anyhow? I guess I might as well go back. That plump, homey looking girl is from a ranch, though; I guess it’s a nice one, not like ours. I suppose it can’t be worse here than at home. I’d like to stick it out, but I don’t suppose the girls will have anything to do with me. Look at my clothes!—beside of theirs! I knew my skirt was being made all crooked, and this hideous waist,—I wish I never had anything to say about my clothes. Ugly old heavy shoes to match the rest. But then dear old father did not know that they were awful.” The little girl sat thoughtfully a little longer, then slipped into the building and to her room. First she tipped the mirror in order to get a full 

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