n you that I'll probably buy my own furniture and
throw out all this." She waved a comprehensive hand at the despised
furniture.

"You are at liberty to make whatever changes you wish," Mrs. Elwood
responded rather stiffly, and without further remark left the room.

"She didn't like my remark about her furniture," commented the stout
girl, "but I'm not worrying about it. It's funny that I should run into
you girls, though. What kind of a time have you been having here, and
did you pass all your exams?"

The girls replied in the affirmative, then Grace asked the same question
of Elfreda.

"Of course," was the laconic answer. "I had a tutor all summer, besides
I told you on the train that I wasn't a wooden head."

"Where did you stay until you went to Ralston House?" asked Anne. "We
saw you go away from the station with two girls when you left the train,
and we've seen you twice at a distance during examinations, but this is
the first chance we've had to talk with you."

J. Elfreda stared at Anne, her eyes narrowing.

"Do you want to know just what happened to me?" she asked slowly. "Well,
I'll tell you three girls about it, because I've got to tell some one
and I don't believe you'll spread the story."

"We won't tell anyone," promised Grace.

"How about you two?" asked the stout girl.

"I'll answer for both of us," smiled Anne.

"All right then, I'll tell you. Now remember, you've promised."

The girls nodded.

"Well, it was this way," began Elfreda. "When I left the train I hadn't
gone six steps until two girls walked up to me and asked if I were a
freshman. They said they were on the committee to meet and look after
the girls who were entering college for the first time. I said that was
very kind of them and asked them to show me the way to Ralston House.
They picked up my suit cases and we started out. They asked me my name
and all sorts of questions and I told them a little about myself,"
continued the stout girl pompously. "They seemed quite impressed, too.
Then one of them said she thought I had better see the registrar before
going to Ralston House, for the registrar would be anxious to meet me.
They both said I was quite different from the rest of the new girls, and
made such a lot of fuss over me that I invited them into that little
shop across from the station to have ice cream."

"And then?" asked Miriam.

"Then," said J. Elfreda impressively, "after they had had two sundaes
apiece, at my e