m. at ten
o'clock, and is not bad fun. I'll come along and take you, if you'd
care to go."

"Thanks. Yes, I'd like to see everything that's going on. What sort of
things are for sale?"

"All sorts of discards that have been left behind by other girls--
screens, bed-covers, curtains, china flower-pots, chairs, kettles,
pictures. Sometimes there's quite a fine show."

"Sounds attractive! And who is the auctioneer?"

"A second-year girl--the one who is credited with the greatest amount of
wit."

There was a moment's silence while the two Freshers each mentally leaped
a year ahead, and saw herself in this proud and enviable position.

"Who's the one to-night?"

"Margaret France." Miss Ross's lips curled expressively. "I hope you
won't judge us by her standard. She's certainly not the one whom _I_
should have chosen to fill the position!"

Silence again, while the Freshers reflected that they knew very well
whom Miss Helen Ross would have chosen if she had had the chance, and
were glad that she hadn't.

"Well, I'll call round about ten. Make up your fire, and be
comfortable. You're allowed a scuttle of coals a day, and let me warn
you to _use_ it! If it's not all burnt, keep a few lumps in a
convenient cache--a box under the bed will do. It comes in handy for
another day, and when it gets really cold you can stoke up at night and
have a fire to dress by in the morning. The authorities don't approve
of that--they say it's bad for the stoves. Personally I consider myself
before any stoves."

She nodded casually and strode from the room, leaving the two friends
divided between gratitude for her kindness and prejudice against her
personality.

"Don't like her a bit, do you?"

"Humph. So-so! Means well, I think. Wonder how she knows Dan? He
never mentioned her name."

"Not at _all_ the sort of girl Dan would care for! Such a bumptious
manner. A good many of them have, I observe. Fearfully self-possessed.
Perhaps it's a special effort to impress the Freshers. She didn't take
much notice of me, but I'm coming with you all the same to buy fixings
for my room, and hear the second-year auctioneer. Call for me when
you're ready, like a dear. I'm off now to read until ten o'clock."

Darsie shut herself in her room, and set to work at her burry with all
the ardour of a beginner, so that the hour and a half passed like a
flash, and it seemed as if she had scarcely begun before Hannah's solid
ban