he honor, you know. I went to her door and knocked. Her
roommate, Miss Taylor, opened it. The Anarchist sat over in one corner
of the room, studying like mad. By the way, I understand she is a dig
and stands high in her classes."

"Is she?" asked Anne, opening her eyes. "Then that is one thing she has
in her favor. Perhaps we shall discover other good qualities in her that
we've overlooked."

"Perhaps," echoed Miriam dryly.

"Mustn't interrupt me," drawled Elfreda. "I may become peevish and
refuse to talk."

"All right," smiled Grace. "We accept the warning. Continue, my dear
Miss Briggs."

Elfreda grinned cheerfully. "I inquired with deferential politeness if
Miss Atkins were busy. Then the Anarchist looked up from her book,
glared like a lion, straightened her eyebrows and said in that awful
voice she owns, 'Did you wish to speak to me?'"

Elfreda unconsciously imitated the belligerent freshman. Her audience
giggled appreciatively.

"I replied in my most impressive English that I did wish to do that very
thing," continued Elfreda. "Then I inquired tactfully if I was too late
with my invitation to the sophomore dance. Without giving her time to
answer I put in my application for the position of escort.
Then"--Elfreda paused, a slight flush rose to her round face, "then she
looked me in the eye and told me a deliberate untruth. She said she had
refused one invitation because she had not been interested in the
reception, but that she had changed her mind. She thanked me and said
she would be pleased to go. I bowed myself out without further ado, but
Miss Taylor gave me the queerest look as I went. Her face was as red as
fire. It was she who told me that the Anarchist had not been invited.
She was afraid I might think she hadn't told the truth, but I knew
better. Now, don't ever tell any one what I have said."

"I'm sorry she didn't tell the truth," said Grace disapprovingly. "Why
couldn't she say that she had not been invited?"

"False pride," commented Miriam. "She evidently isn't so indifferent to
the opinion of others as she would have us believe."

"She is a strange girl," mused Anne. "Perhaps she is not altogether to
blame for her odd ways."

"'Odd' is a good name for them," jeered Elfreda. "I wouldn't call it
'odd,' I'd use a stronger word than that. It's contemptible. I'm sorry I
asked her to go to the reception."

"Then recall your invitation and tell her your reason for doing so,"
advised Miriam