therine,
patting her piles into straight lines. "But you can't always tell about
people by looking at them. I, for instance, have all my life been
expected to be lady-like, just because when I was little I hadn't
strength enough to be naughty. And many and many a time I have felt like
doing something wild and shocking!"

"Why, Catherine Smith!" exclaimed Polly in amazement. "You always seemed
to me a sort of beautiful princess up here on the hill, and, good as any
of the rest of us might try to be, we never could hope to be as good as
you. Have you honestly ever wanted to be bad?"

Catherine laughed, a funny little gurgling laugh. "I honestly have--not
wicked you know, but--well, reckless! And I never had the courage to do
anything very startling till last year at college."

She stopped and laughed again.

"Tell me," Polly insisted. "I'll never tell. What did you do? Was it
fun? Tell me!"

Catherine's eyes twinkled. "I made up my mind that it was my one chance,
for no one there belonged to me, and my tiresome reputation for
propriety hadn't had time to get started. So one day I got up late, and
was late to breakfast, and cut a class, and--" She laughed so hard that
Polly wanted to shake her. "O, Polly it was such a ridiculous thing to
do! I talked slang and chewed gum!"

Polly gasped. "Did you like it? What made you stop?"

"People. They were so astonished. And, besides, I hated the gum. Inez
Dolliver used to chew it with such gusto that I thought it must be
rather good. And the slang sounded so easy and,--O! lighthearted, you
know, and friendly. When you and Hannah Eldred use it, it never seems
offensive, just pleasant and gay. But everyone looked so worried and
puzzled all day at me, that I decided to stop. And next day they seemed
so relieved. I told Dy-the Allen later about it (she's the dearest
thing!) and she was very philosophical. She told me it wasn't becoming
to my general character, just as pink wasn't becoming to my hair. I told
her I had always loved pink, and wanted to wear it, and she suggested
that I wear it at night. It wouldn't show in the dark and it was an
innocent desire; and perhaps if I did that, I'd not want to use slang or
chew gum. I didn't, after I had tried once, anyhow! Polly Osgood, here
we are sitting around and I'm telling you foolish stories about myself,
when we ought to be discussing library matters."

"The other was more interesting," sighed Polly. "I'm going to give up
slan