eth and watched Min work. Her speech impressed her
hearer that she was doing work of so high an order that common spirits
like her own could not comprehend. Elizabeth had heard Landis make such
reference before, but after having talked with Miss Rice, she concluded
that Landis, when speaking in her own peculiar way, had in mind the life
of a missionary which was to be hers on leaving school. Elizabeth had a
great reverence for religion. So while Landis made these speeches, she
listened with becoming attention.

But Min, to whom all things were material, and the nearest point the only
one seen, blurted out in her slow, uncomprehending way, "Yes, I'd much
rather sew on a binding than to do the work Landis does. What one of us
likes to do, the other one don't. So we fit fairly well as roommates. This
noon when she was complaining about the mending she must do, I told her
I'd do it all if she'd get my thesis ready for to-morrow. We have a
discussion on the Literature of the Elizabethan Period. As though I could
write a thousand words on that! So we traded off."

A flush had come to Landis' cheek while her roommate talked. She stopped
her as quickly as was consistent with tact. When once Min started it was
impossible to tell when she would stop.

"Tell Elizabeth about the trip your father is planning," said Landis,
breaking into Min's discourse.

But Elizabeth arose, declaring that she had no time to stay longer; she
had merely stopped in to ask them both to come to her room for a spread
that evening, any time after the lights were out.

"A box from home!" exclaimed Min. "Isn't that lovely? That is what it
means to have a mother! Our housekeeper is as kind as can be and would be
only too glad to send me a box if she thought of it. But that is the
difference, a mother would think. If father was there, I'd go home
to-morrow. But he won't be, so I would rather stay here than be in that
big house alone with servants. Landis has an invitation to go out into the
country for dinner. I'm sure I'd go if I were she. Miss Rice has asked her
to come but she won't go."

"I do not think it would be kind to leave Min alone," she said, as though
that were her sole motive in staying.

"Miss Rice!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "I know her. I met her the evening of
the reception."

"Quite a character, isn't she?" responded Landis, as she might have spoken
of one with whom she had but a passing acquaintance, instead of one on
whom she was depe