lips. Miriam,
raising her eyes from the yellow slip, found those of her angry roommate
fixed on her in mingled curiosity and disdain. Ignoring the look she
said quietly, "I should like to see you for a moment after breakfast,
Elfreda. I have something to tell you."

The stout girl's eyes narrowed. She glanced about the table and saw
Virginia Gaines watching her with a disagreeable smile. The sophomore
raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders as though to say, "So,
you are going to allow her to order you about." Elfreda's face grew dark
with angry purpose. She leaned well forward across the table and said in
a tone of suppressed fury: "Kindly keep your remarks to yourself. I
don't care to hear them."

"Very well," replied Miriam coldly, although her eyes flashed and the
temper that had been all but uncontrollable in days gone by threatened
to burst forth in all its old fury. Several girls smiled, and Virginia
Gaines laughed aloud.

"A new declaration of independence has evidently been signed," she
jeered. "Too bad, isn't it, Miss Harlowe? You'll have to begin all over
again on some one else."

"I am not likely to trouble you, at any rate, Miss Gaines," returned
Grace pointedly.

This time the laugh was at Virginia's expense. A dull flush overspread
her plain face. Her angry eyes met Grace's steady gray ones, then fell
before the honest contempt she read there. During that brief instant she
saw herself through Grace's eyes and the sharp retort that rose to her
lips remained unuttered.

In the next instant Grace was sorry for her rude retort. It would have
been far better to remain silent, she reflected. By answering she had
shown Virginia that the latter's taunt had annoyed her.

"I wish I hadn't answered Miss Gaines," she confided to Miriam as they
were leaving the dining room. "It doesn't add to one's freshman dignity
to quarrel."

"I am glad you did," returned Miriam. "It was a well-merited snub, and
she deserved it."

CHAPTER XV

GREETING OLD FRIENDS

To spend their brief holiday with the Southards was the next best thing
to going home, in the opinion of the Oakdale girls. Mr. Southard met
them at the station with his automobile, and a twenty minutes' drive
brought them to the Southard home. Miss Southard met them at the door
with welcoming arms. She was particularly delighted to see Anne, for the
few weeks Anne had spent in their house had endeared her to the
Southards and made them wis