it?" pointing at the substantial brick house just ahead of them. The
little party climbed the stone steps. Miriam rang the bell. Almost
instantly the door opened and Gertrude Wells smilingly ushered them into
the hall. "So glad you have come," she said. "All the other girls are
here."

"We need not have been afraid of being too early, then," laughed Grace.

"Hardly," smiled Gertrude, "the majority of us live here. There are
twenty freshmen in this house, and we invited ten more from outside.
Thirty girls in all, but the living room is large enough to hold us, and
Mrs. Kane doesn't mind if we make a good deal of noise. Come upstairs to
my room and take off your wraps. Then we'll join the crowd." A little
later they followed their hostess downstairs to the big living room,
that seemed fairly overflowing with girls. The buzz of conversation
ceased as they entered. Gertrude introduced them one after another to
the assembled crowd of young women, who received them with varying
degrees of cordiality.

Anne's observant eyes noted that one group of girls in the corner barely
acknowledged the introduction. She also noted that the two freshmen
whose conversation she had overheard at the reception formed the center
of that group. The four girls found seats at one end of the room and the
conversation began again louder than ever. Grace and Miriam found
themselves surrounded by half a dozen girls who were eager to know where
they had learned to play basketball. Elfreda espied two freshmen who
recited history in the same class with her and was soon deep in
conversation with them. Anne, being left to her own devices, sat quietly
watching the throng of animated faces around her. With her, the study of
faces was a favorite pastime, and she furtively watched the little knot
of girls, whose lack of cordiality had been so noticeable to her.

They were carrying on a low-toned conversation among themselves, and by
the frequent glances that were being cast first in the direction of
Grace, then Elfreda, Anne knew that the story of Elfreda's report to the
registrar was being talked over. Anne felt her anger rising. Why should
Grace be made to suffer for Elfreda's mistake, and why should Elfreda
have her freshman year spoiled on account of that mistake. Of course, no
one liked a tale bearer, but Elfreda would never again tell tales.
Besides, why should the freshmen undertake to champion the cause of two
sophomores, unless the latter had enti