two Cora remained in her room, and
few of her friends visited her. This suited Nancy very well, even if she
did not like her roommate. The dormitory was quieter and one could
study.

"My mother's just as mean as she can be!" blurted out Cora one day when
she and Nancy were alone. "She won't give me another cent of
pocket-money until the week we go home for Christmas. And I spent all my
allowance right away when school opened. Did you, Nancy?"

"Did I what?" asked Nancy, looking up from her book.

"Have you spent all your allowance?"

"No-o," said Nancy slowly, not quite sure that she _had_ an allowance,
Mr. Gordon gave her money so irregularly.

"Lucky girl! And I promised I'd give the crowd a big blow-out here next
week. I sent to mother for the money, and told her about it, and she
won't even send me another box of goodies."

"That is too bad," observed Nancy, with a faint smile.

"Isn't it?" exclaimed Cora. "And they'll all say Number 30 is so mean! I
hate to have our room get _that_ name."

This was the first time that Nancy had supposed Cora cared anything for
the reputation of the room. Certainly, she had never before appeared to
consider that Nancy and she had anything in common.

"You see, we're just freshmen, and the sophs criticise us so. I got
acquainted with Belle Macdonald and some of those other girls away back
last spring. They expect us freshies to treat them if we want their
friendship."

"I don't think that friendships bought in that way last; do you?" asked
Nancy.

"Say! how do you expect to get popular in a school like this?" demanded
Cora, in disgust.

"I--I don't know," sighed Nancy.

"How is it Grace is so popular?" cried Cora Rathmore. "Why, she's always
doing something to get the other girls interested. She's going to be
our class president."

Nancy said nothing. She wondered if Grace Montgomery, after all, was
quite as popular as Cora thought.

"I tell you what," said the black-eyed girl, suddenly, "let's have a
party in here, anyway?"

"Why, I--I don't know anything about giving a party," confessed Nancy.
"And I'm afraid the girls wouldn't come."

"Sure they will--in a minute!" declared Cora, confidently. "All I've got
to do is to tell 'em. You see, I've been making friends in Pinewood
Hall, while you've been 'boning.' Some of them think you are too stiff."

"I don't mean to be," protested Nancy, shaking her head.

"Well, here's a chance for you to show 'em. You say y