g the thing over and done with than hanging fire for several days. The girls crowded about her, expressing both admiration and criticism and offering advice until Elizabeth did not know

how, from the bottom of his heart, he abhorred any questioning of one's honor. The mor

n," she had often heard him say to Joe Ratowsky. Her four months at Exeter had taught her there were people of words and people of action. It was of the last-named class she selected her helpers. Landis was not to be considered. It is doubtful if she could have given a reason for the feeling that

iately at the ringing of the study bell. Some of the students were already packing to leave for

r position in regard to overseeing examinations was more distasteful to her than it could possibly be to any of the students. But from time immemorial such had been the custom of most schools

they quitted the dining-hall. "If I read the stars aright, Exet

mes to-

-four hours. The fuel has been ready for several

doing th

notice the flash of her eyes and the message she wa

it was nothing mor

plans through if they once see fit to accept them. Oh, no, don't be alarmed," as she noticed Miss Watson's expression, "there may come some g

no objections, Elizabeth having explained fully that it was not a social but a purely business meeting. Nor

of the gathering. She rela

how it impressed me. To think of having two and three teachers in the room

must bear this in mind-school life is just like outside life. There are some students who are dishonest

hers themselves must have learned by this time who can be trusted and who can not! Suppose among the fifty girls in our room this morning, there were one or two who cheated. I think it would have been far better t

were beginning to flash. As Elizabeth di

that would make me cheat it is being watched to see that I didn'

; but her silence did not spring from lack of interest. She listened keenly to every word, and weighed it fully before she ac

died formality which is more galling than open neglect as they had on former occ

s not attempting the impossible. Her idea was pra

ss Cresswell, and jot down

work. "What have you decided to do about talking with the girls?" she

eems so much more personal than talking to them all tog

it will mean a gr

aid Mary Wilson, "if we only succee

n they began to apportion a certain sec

Each new recruit will be put

e. "We will have this run off on the typewriter. Liste

casts reflections upon the honor of each student, do hereby suggest a means of reformation. We pledge ourselves individually to receive

er without the presence of instructors, we pledging ourselves that under o

ot have done it better," said Elizabeth. "Now we

dge," advised Miss Cresswell. "Fifty people in earnest are

gan Mary Wilson excitedly, "there will

ep your eyes open in the class-room, you can soon discover who has no sense of honor. These may be taken quietly aside

in the dark. I did it once, and I had a bump on my head for a week. One's head is not the best 'lighting' place. Come, Carrie Hirsch, you go m

quite a striking figure as she stood leaning with her elbow against the mantel, looking down into the grate. As always, she was richly

ne, Elizabeth. I have been wishing to for several days, but you

m going into the bedroom," said

t on the window-seat at the landing. The campus is beautiful in the moonlight. No one is disturbed by the talking t

rap. That window-seat is full of draf

rawing Miss O'Day's arm through her own. "We will be night-hawks until

the turn of the stairway, where one had a view of the campus,

a began the conversation. "I heard you talk in the m

I only said w

popular, and yet you were willing to take that risk because you were my friend. That is the kind of friendshi

I must be awfully dense, but really, Nora, I have

your way. I might have expected as much. You do a generous, n

sure there was nothing noble about that. Why, you have no idea how angry I was! It made me so indignant to hear some explain what should be done and how. I didn't approve of their plans at all, so the only thing left for me to do was to sa

rned to look

ow, did you really not have me in min

t contain. "It may be rather galling to your pride, but I did not even think of you after we entered the meeting, although I suppose you mu

appened here last spring? Did

nings you have in mind. But no one t

think I can tell just how I feel, and how awful these months at Exeter have been. I might have gone somewhere else this fall and not returned at all; but when I thought it over, it seemed to me that it would be cowardly to slip away like that. Last summer I wro

ong time. She would have been glad to express sympathy, say some word which would show confidence in her companion, but she

g about! Tell me, Nora. I fancy it

and give all kinds of reasons for your actions. Just walk off, and I will understand that you do not care to be friends with

love some of them; but even that doesn't make me think them infallible. But you sit there and hint about a dreadful deed you have done. One would t

tter for letter, right out of the book. A half-dozen girls saw me-Mary Wilson, Nancy, Carrie Hirsch, Mam

ould have done that-meet and ta

ne of them thought the matter over and decided for herself. They speak to me at the table and any schoo

eting of the girls

igned by her. That is required before any meeting can be hel

hecked herself, deciding that criticism was not going to help the matt

not hesitate. I deserve critic

ferent person last term. I could not, although I stretched my imagination to its

m and stayed almost all of the evening. She told me that she thought the girls acted impulsively, and that she had done w

s Anna Cr

attend. Someone told me tha

ver come agai

ember her say she was gifted in that line. Of course, I do not know, for she died when I was a baby. Somehow I never had the heart to re

id, "I'm just beginning to learn that it is not wise to take any one's opinion in regard to any one else. You must trust and be deceived, and trust again,

weeks before we were to go home. I made up my mind to bear it until school was out and then not come back. But I changed my mind, as I told you. She did not ask me again. But I did not expect that

ut of the part which Landis had probably played throughout the affair. No

ted with me that you can

know that it is my place to pass judgment on you. I may criticise that in you; someone else will find something to criticise in me. One thing I am quite sure of. You are

nce ended such methods for me." There

in you, but I'm glad you told me. You may be quite s

tead of replying, began to sob, and it

child. Somehow," the girl hesitated. It was difficult to explain without seeming critical of one parent. "Somehow, my father never cared much for what mother cared for most. He could not see anything wrong in cards, and wine-parties, and things like that. When mother died grandmother Loraine took me. But she did not live long. Then I went back home and lived with a housekeeper and the

ally could not deny me anything, and he doesn't yet. You see, I am the only person in the world he has left, and he thinks I am simply wonderful." She laughed lightly. "I am always amused whe

her and how to keep Maggie, the second maid, from knowing it. Strange as it may seem, this old woman was my ideal. I never hesitated

ade a point of telling how sharp they had been in their transactions. I know now that they were merely dishonest. I do not k

as much as I wish. He never questi

ople had. Don't blame my father for neglecting me. He hired the best servants he could, and did what he thought was for my good. I was well clothed and fed; and Mrs. Gager took excellen

ived anyone. My father, too, and Miss Hale are the same way. I was brought up to abhor anything that wasn't honest. But, then," reflectiv

ch an act with contempt. I would not do such a thing now. Not because I wish to curry favor with Mary Wilson and her set, but because I feel it is wron

izabeth spoke of the telegram she had received and sug

d that, although they were friends, she never knew until the close of school th

r bedroom. She undressed in the dark so that she migh

reat deal to say. 'Smiles' has trotte

d you te

. I think she will intervie

. At the meeting last spring, who was it t

dis.

ou sure? Did she ta

e a meeting where Landis didn't

I wanted

eason," was the

" But Mary