ing terms. Did
you know that?"

"Yes, I knew it," Alicia admitted. "I was told it was your fault. I
didn't believe it until----"

She paused, uncertainty written large on every feature. She had begun to
glimpse the unworthiness of her doubts.

"Until Miss Noble came to you with this untruthful tale about me,"
finished Jane.

Alicia was silent. She could not truthfully contradict this pertinent
statement.

"Which of us do you believe, Alicia?"

Jane put the question with business-like directness.

Alicia mutely studied Jane's resolute face. Honesty of purpose looked
out from the long-lashed, gray eyes. She mentally contrasted it with
another face; dark, spiteful and furtive.

"I believe you. Forgive me, Jane."

Her lips quivering, Alicia stretched forth a penitent hand.

"There's nothing to forgive."

Jane was quick to grasp the hand Alicia proffered.

"I ought to have come straight to you," quavered the penitent.

"I wish you had. Thank goodness, it's all right now. Let's sit down in
the porch swing, Alicia. There are several things yet to be said and
this is the time to say them."

Her hand still in Alicia's, Jane gently pulled her toward the swing.
When they had seated themselves, she continued:

"I don't like to say things behind anyone's back, but in this case it's
necessary. Miss Noble has started her freshman year as a trouble maker.
She is very bitter against me for several reasons. When I came back to
college, I found that Mrs. Weatherbee had given her my room. She
understood that I was not coming to Madison Hall this year. I'm telling
you this because I suspect that it is news to you."

"It certainly _is_." Alicia showed evident surprise. "I supposed Elsie
Noble had been assigned to room with me from the start. She never said a
word about it to me."

"She didn't want you to know it. I don't wish to explain why. I'll
simply say that Mrs. Weatherbee decided I had first right to the room.
It made Miss Noble very angry. She came back to the room after she had
left it. Adrienne, Judith and I were there. She made quite a scene. I
hoped it would end there, but it hasn't. Since then she has tried to set
not only you against me, but others also. She has circulated a paper
among the freshmen against Judith, Adrienne and I which some of them
have signed."

"How perfectly terrible!" was Alicia's shocked exclamation. "She
certainly has kept very quiet about it to me. I never suspected such a
thing."