oment I need to see you--"

"Sit down," said the German assistant pleasantly. "What can I do for
you?"

"I have been talking with Fraeulein Mueller about my German, and she
says if you are willing to give me an outline for advanced work and an
examination later on, I can go into a higher division in a little while.
Languages are always easy for me, and I could go on much quicker."

"Oh, certainly. I have thought more than once that you were wasting
your time. The class is too large and too slow. I will make you out
an outline and give it to you after class to-morrow," said the German
assistant promptly. "Meanwhile, won't you stay and make me a
little call? I will light the fire and make some tea, if that is an
inducement."

"The invitation is inducement enough, I assure you," smiled the girl,
"but I must not stay to-day, I think. If you will let me come again,
when I have no work to bother you with, I should love to."

There was something easily decisive in her manner, something very
different from the other students, who refused such invitations
awkwardly, eager to be pressed, and when finally assured of a sincere
welcome, prolonged their calls and talked about themselves into the
uncounted hours. Evidently she would not stay this time; evidently she
would like to come again.

As the door closed behind her the German assistant dropped her cordial
smile, and sank back listlessly in her chair.

"After all, she's only a girl!" she murmured. For almost an hour she sat
looking fixedly at the unlit logs, hardly conscious of the wasted time.
Much might have gone into that hour. There was tea for her at one of the
college houses--the hostess had a "day," and went so far as to aspire
to the exclusive serving of a certain kind of tinned fancy biscuit every
Friday--if she wanted to drop in. This hostess invited favored students
to meet the faculty and townspeople on these occasions, and the
two latter classes were expected to effect a social fusion with the
former--which linked it, to some minds, a little too obviously with
professional duties.

She might call on the head of her department, who was suffering from
some slight indisposition, and receive minute advice as to the conduct
of her classes, mingled with general criticism of various colleagues
and their methods. She might make a number of calls; but if there is one
situation in which the futility of these social mockeries becomes most
thoroughly obvious, it is th