could expect.

The mere fact that a little handful of the girls looked at her somewhat
askance because of her success as a motion picture writer, did not
greatly trouble the girl of the Red Mill. She could wait for them to
forget her small "fame" or for them to learn that she was quite as
simple and unaffected as any other girl of her age. It was about Rebecca
Frayne that Ruth was disturbed in her mind. Here was the case of a
student who, Ruth believed, was much misunderstood.

She could not imagine a girl deliberately making trouble for herself.
Rebecca Frayne by the expenditure of a couple of dollars in the purchase
of a new tam-o'-shanter might have easily overcome this dislike that had
been bred not alone in the minds of the girls of the two upper classes,
but among the sophomores and her own classmates as well. The sophomores
thought her ridiculous; the freshmen themselves felt that she was
bringing upon the whole class unmerited criticism.

Ruth looked deeper. She saw the strange girl walk past her mates
unnoticed, scarcely spoken to, indeed, by the freshmen and ignored
completely by members of the other classes. And yet, to Ruth's mind,
there seemed to be an air about Rebecca Frayne--a look in her eyes,
perhaps--that seemed to beg for sympathy.

It was no hardship for Ruth to speak to the girl and try to be friendly
with her. But opportunities for this were not frequent.

In the first place Ruth's own time was much occupied with her studies,
her own personal friends, Helen and Jennie, and the new scenario on
which she worked during every odd hour.

Several times Ruth went to the door of Rebecca's room and knocked. She
positively knew the girl was at home, but there had been no answer to
her summons and the door was locked.

The situation troubled Ruth. When she was among her classmates, Rebecca
seemed nervously anxious to please and eager to be spoken to, although
she had little to say. Here, on the other hand, once alone in her room,
she deliberately shut herself away from all society.

Soon after the outdoor song festival that had been so successful, and
immediately following the organization of the freshman class and its
election of officers, Ruth and Helen went over to the library one
evening to consult some reference books.

The reference room was well filled with busy girls of all classes, who
came bustling in, got down the books they required, dipped into them for
a minute and then departed to t