an engagement, the rumor of which was whispered to me last night.
With love to you and the girls.

"MABEL.

"P. S. Frances sails for home next week."

"What a nice letter," commented Elfreda. "It is just like her, isn't
it!"

"Yes," replied Grace slowly. "Girls, do you suppose Mabel and Miss West
are really friends?"

"Not as we are," replied Miriam, with a positive shake of her head.
"Elfreda and I were talking of that very thing while you were in your
room. Elfreda said she didn't believe that Mabel had known Miss West
long."

"What is the matter with us?" asked Grace, a trifle impatiently. "Here
we are prowling about the bush, trying to conceal under polite inquiry
the fact that we don't quite approve of Miss West. We would actually
like to dig up something to criticize."

"There is nothing like absolute freedom of speech, is there?" said
Elfreda, with a short laugh.

"It is true, though," said Grace stoutly. "It isn't fair, either. She
has done nothing to deserve it. Besides, Mabel likes her."

"Mabel doesn't say in her letter that she likes her," reminded Anne.
"She says Miss West is clever and that she admires her spirit."

"You, too, Anne?" said Grace reproachfully.

"I don't like her," declared Elfreda belligerently. "If it weren't for
Mabel's letter I'd leave her strictly to her own devices."

"We ought to be ashamed of ourselves!" exclaimed Grace. "We have met
Miss West with smiles, and here we are discussing her behind her back."

"I didn't meet her with smiles," contradicted Elfreda. "I was as sober
as a judge all the time we stood talking to her. She is too flippant to
suit me. She doesn't take college very seriously. I could see that."

"There goes the dinner bell!" exclaimed Grace, with sudden irrelevance
to the subject of the newspaper girl. "Let us stop gossiping and go to
dinner."

At dinner Grace was not sorry to note that Kathleen West had been placed
at the end of the table farthest from her. Through the meal she found
her eyes straying often toward the erect little figure of the newcomer,
who, exhibiting not a particle of reserve, chatted with the girls
nearest to her with the utmost unconcern. "I suppose her newspaper
training has made her self-possessed and not afraid of strangers,"
reflected Grace. But she could not refrain from secretly wondering a
little just how strong a friendship existed between Kathleen West and
Mabel.

CHAPTER IV

GETTING ACQUAI