e of the forest at the top was an octagon-shaped
observatory. Ruth had read about it in the Year Book. From the balcony
of this observatory one could see, on a clear day, to the extreme west
end of Lake Remona--quite twenty-five miles away.

The newcomers, however, were more interested at present in the big
building which faced the lake, half-way down the southern slope of
College Hill, and which contained the hall and classrooms, as well as
the principal offices. The beautiful campus was in front of this
building.

"All off for Dare and Dorrance," shouted the stage driver, stopping his
vehicle.

The driveway here split, one branch descending the hill, while the main
thread wound on past the front of the main building. Ruth and Helen
scrambled down with their bags.

"Good-bye," said Miss Dexter smiling on them. "Perhaps I shall see you
when you come over to the registrar's office. We seniors have to do the
honors for you freshies."

Miss Purvis, too, bade them a pleasant good-bye. The chums set off down
the driveway. On their left was the great, sandstone, glass-roofed bulk
of the gymnasium, and they caught a glimpse of the fenced athletic field
behind it.

Ahead were the two big dormitories upon this side of the campus--Dare
and Dorrance Halls. The driveway curved around to the front of these
buildings, and now the private touring car the girls had before noticed,
came shooting around from the lake side of the dormitories, passing Ruth
and Helen, empty save for the chauffeur.

"Goodness!" exclaimed Helen. "I wonder if that dressy girl with all the
goods and chattels is bunked in _our_ dormitory?"

"'Our' dormitory, no less!" laughed Ruth. "Do you feel as much at home
already as _that_?"

"Goodness! No. I'm only trying to make myself believe it. Ruth, what an
e-_nor_-mous place this is! I feel just as small as--as a little mouse
in an elephant's stall."

Ruth laughed, but before she could reply they rounded the corner of the
building nearest to the campus and saw the group of girls upon its broad
porch, the stranger at the foot of the steps, and the heap of baggage
piled where the chauffeur had left it.

"Hello!" May MacGreggor said, aloud, "here are a couple more kittens.
Look at the pretty girl with the brown eyes and hair. And the
smart-looking, black-eyed one. Now! _here_ are freshies after my own
heart."

Edith Phelps refused to be called off from the girl and the baggage,
however. She said coolly: