ila pushed ahead, thrusting the girls right and left from her path. I
couldn't see her face, but her shoulders kept pumping up and down as if
she were smothering. You know she's more sensitive than I am, and I felt
badly enough.

Mrs. Howard took her hand and said, "Miss Reed wishes to see you both and
leave a message."

Of course such a speech would make anybody think she was dying. I rubbed
my sleeve across my eyes and shut my teeth together and swallowed once,
for the other girls around were gazing after us. Lila walked on with her
head up. I couldn't see anything but the line of her cheek, and that
looked sort of cold and stony. We followed on over the thick rugs into
the second reception room. There sitting in a big chair, leaning back
against a cushion kind of limp and pale but not dead at all--there was
Martha.

"Did you get the money?" she asked.

Lila didn't answer. She just dropped on her knees and hid her face
against Martha's dress.

"It was a centerpiece I thought Mother would like. I chose it in the
shop-window there at the corner while I was waiting. Maybe it will get
there almost in time if it is mailed to-morrow, but the doctor says I
must go to the infirmary for a day or two. If you would please send it
away for me in the morning--if you have the money to buy it, Lila,--I'm
sorry."

The doctor walked in alert and brusque as usual but gentle too.

"Now for my captive," she said, "time's up. Life in a study with two
sophomores is hard on a freshman's nerves. A few days of the rest-cure
will about suit you."

Martha glanced at me, for Lila was still hiding her face.

"It was silly of me," she explained shyly, "but I grew so nervous when
you didn't meet me that I cried and that made it worse. I watched every
car and both sides of the street, and I waited till after dark. You see,
I didn't have any money for car-fare. After they began to light the
lamps, I started to walk out here to the college. Everybody was eating
supper, and I was all alone on the road with dark fields on both sides. I
could not help thinking of those dreadful robbers and maniacs and
tramps----"

"What?" cried the doctor.

I drew a deep breath. "We told her," I said. "I--I'm afraid we
exaggerated. I--I thought it would be more interesting."

"Oh!" said the doctor. It was such a grim sort of an oh that I repented
some more, though indeed it was not necessary.

Martha smiled at me. I always did consider her the dearest, m