," Ruth said. "You are making the worst possible use of your
time here--keeping to yourself and being so afraid of making friends.
We're not all rich girls, I assure you. And the girls on this corridor
are particularly nice."

"I suppose that may be. But if everywhere I go they show so plainly they
don't want me----"

"That will stop!" cried Ruth, vigorously. "If I have to go to Dr.
Milroth myself, it shall be stopped. It is hazing of the crudest kind.
Oh! what a prettily crocheted table-mat. It's old-fashioned, but
pretty."

"Aunty does that, almost all the time," Rebecca said, with a little
laugh. "Fred once said--in confidence, of course--that half the family
income goes for Aunt Emmy's wool."

"Do _you_ do it, too?" Ruth asked suspiciously.

"Oh yes. I can."

"Say! could you crochet one of these tams?" cried Ruth, eagerly.

"Why--I suppose so," admitted the other girl.

"Then, why not? Do it to please the seniors and juniors. It won't hurt
to bow to a custom, will it? And you only need buy a few hanks of wool
at a time."

Rebecca's face flamed again; but she took the suggestion, after all,
with some meekness.

"I _might_ do that," she admitted.

"All right. Then you'll be doing your part. And talk to the girls. Let
them talk to you. Come down to the dining-room for your meals again. You
know, the housekeeper, Mrs. Ebbets, will soon be getting into trouble
about you. Somebody will talk to Dr. Milroth or to some other member of
the upper faculty."

"I suppose so," groaned Rebecca. "They won't let poor little me alone."

"Oh, you can't expect to have your own way at school," cried Ruth,
laughing. "Oh, and say!"

"Well, Miss Fielding?"

"_Do_ call me Ruth," begged the girl of the Red Mill. "It won't cost you
a cent more," but she said it so good-naturedly that Rebecca had to
laugh.

"I will," said the other girl, vehemently. "You are the very nicest
little thing!"

"Well, now that's settled," laughed Ruth, "do something for me, will
you?"

"Any--anything I can," agreed Rebecca, with some doubt.

"You know we girls on this corridor are going to have a sitting-room all
to ourselves. That corner room that is empty. Everybody is going to
buy--is going to give something to help furnish the room."

"Oh, Ruth! I can't----"

"Yes you can," interrupted Ruth, quickly. "When you stop this foolish
eating by yourself, you can bring over your alcohol lamp. It's just what
we want to make tea on. Now, say