id.

The registrar was writing busily, her head bent intently over her work,
when Grace led the way into her office. "Good morning, Miss Sheldon,"
she began. "This is Miss Eliot of the----" Grace was about to say
freshman class when the registrar rose and came toward them with
outstretched hand.

"My dear Patience!" she exclaimed cordially, "I am so glad you arrived
at last. How is your father?"

"Much better, thank you," replied the tall girl. "We still have two
nurses, but I think he is out of danger now. I hated to leave him, but
he was so worried because I had missed the first two weeks of college,
that he insisted I should come on here at once. I arrived last night and
went directly to Holland House, but the matron there thought I had given
up coming, and the room I engaged by letter had been given to some one
else only yesterday morning. She directed me to Wayne Hall, where, by
the merest luck, I managed to secure half a room."

During this flow of explanations, delivered in Miss Eliot's crisp,
business-like tones, Grace had listened in open amazement. This tall
freshman's manner of addressing Miss Sheldon, the dignified registrar,
betokened long acquaintance, while the registrar looked as delighted as
though she had found a long-lost relative.

"I see you have fallen into good hands," said the registrar, a pleasant
smile lighting her rather austere face as she glanced at Grace.

"I am quite sure of that," responded Miss Eliot heartily. "I also
brought disaster upon myself." An account of the morning's accident
followed.

"I believe you were born to disaster, Patience Eliot," laughed Miss
Sheldon.

"I shouldn't be at all surprised," was the dry response.

"Miss Harlowe, I have known Miss Eliot since she was a little girl,"
explained Miss Sheldon. "I am pleased to know that she is to live at
Wayne Hall. I am sure she will be happy there. I understand that the
Wayne Hall girls make a very congenial household."

"We try to," said Grace with a frank smile. "My three friends and I have
never lived in any other house since our freshman days. Perhaps Miss
Eliot will find her freshman year there as delightful as we found ours."

"My freshman year!" exclaimed Miss Eliot in evident surprise.

"Yes," returned Grace rather blankly. "Aren't you a freshman? I don't
know why I thought so, but I supposed, of course, that----" She paused
irresolutely.

Miss Sheldon and the tall girl exchanged openly smiling glances