n from sight in the "coffin's" rapacious maw; photographs and
knick-knacks gave a homy look to the rooms which had looked so bare and
bleak twenty-four hours before. The Freshers tumbled into bed and fell
happily asleep.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

FIRST EXPERIENCES.

During the first month at Newnham Darsie and Hannah fell gradually and
happily into the routine of college life. They grew to recognise their
companions by name, and to place them according to their several
"shops"; they entertained cocoa parties in their rooms; picked up slang
terms, and talked condescendingly of "townees"; they paid up
subscriptions to "Hall," "Games," "Flowers," and "Fic"; slept, played,
and laughed and talked, and, above all, _worked_, with heart and mind,
and with every day that passed were more convinced that to be a student
at Cambridge was the most glorious fate that any girl could desire.

A week after the beginning of term Helen Ross, the fortunate possessor
of a double room, gave a tea-party, with one of the younger Dons as
chaperon, to which Dan Vernon and a companion were invited. Ostensibly
the party was given in Hannah's honour, but to her astonishment and
dismay Hannah's friend was not favoured with an invitation, and felt her
first real twinge of loneliness in the knowledge that two old friends
were making merry together but a few yards away, while she sat solitary
and alone. What she had done to incur Helen Ross's dislike Darsie could
not imagine, and, fortunately for herself, she was too large-hearted to
suspect that it arose simply from an unattractive girl's jealousy of one
whom all had combined to love and admire. Be that as it may, Darsie was
left out of the tea-party, and her subsequent cross-questionings of
Hannah were far from comforting.

"Had a good time?"

"Top hole."

"Nice people there?"

"Topping."

"Good cakes?"

"Scrum!"

"Dan ask for me?"

"No."

"Then he ought to have done!" Darsie told herself indignantly, and her
thoughts flew off to Ralph Percival, wondering when she would see him
next, and recalling with pleasure his promise to "see her through."

The approach of the Freshers' hockey match banished less important
topics, for Hannah was on edge with anxiety to be at her best, and
disport herself sufficiently well to be included in after-team
practices, while Darsie was scarcely less eager on her behalf.

When the afternoon arrived and the match began, the second and third
year