l eyes. Now she said apologetically, "I'm very sorry, Miss
Nesbit, but could you--that is--would you mind having a roommate after
all? My sister, Mrs. Arnold, who manages Ralston House just down the
street from here, took Miss Briggs because she thought one of her girls
wasn't coming back. Now the girl is here and she has no place for Miss
Briggs. Of course, if you insist on not having a roommate, my sister and
I will see that Miss Briggs secures a room in one of the other college
houses." Mrs. Elwood paused and looked questioningly at Miriam, who
stood silent, an inscrutable expression on her face. Grace and Anne,
remembering Miriam's dislike for the stout girl, wondered what her
answer would be.

The settling of the question was not left to Miriam, for during the
brief silence that followed Mrs. Elwood's deprecatory speech J. Elfreda
had been making a comprehensive survey of her surroundings. "It's all
right, Mrs. Elwood," she drawled. "Don't worry about me. I like this
room and I guess I can get along with Miss Nesbit. You may telephone the
expressman to have my trunk sent here. I'm not going back to Ralston
House with you. I'm too tired. I'm going to stay here."

Mrs. Elwood looked appealingly at Miriam, as though mutely trying to
apologize for J. Elfreda's disregard for the rights of others.

Miriam's straight black brows drew together. She stared at their
unwelcome guest with a look that caused a slow flush to rise to the
stout girl's face. Suddenly her face relaxed into a smile of intense
amusement, and extending her hand to J. Elfreda, she said, "You are
welcome to half this room, if you care to stay."

"Well, I never!" exclaimed the other girl for the second time, as she
shook the proffered hand. "Honestly, I thought you were going to give me
a regular freeze out. You looked like a thunder cloud for a minute. I
expect it won't be all sunshine around here, this year, for I'm used to
having things go my way, and I guess you are, too."

"Then perhaps learning to defer to each other will be good practice for
both of us," suggested Miriam.

"Perhaps it will, but I doubt if we ever practise it," was the
discouraging retort.

"I'll notify my sister that you are to be here, Miss Briggs," broke in
Mrs. Elwood. "Then I'll see that this room is made ready for two. Thank
you, Miss Nesbit." She turned gratefully to Miriam.

"All right," answered J. Elfreda indifferently. "You can fix it up if
you want to, but I war