in ever, forever!' I won't, I won't, I can't do it, I can't, I
can't, I can't! To sacrifice it all for her and then--and then to be
forsaken!"

Lucine glided from the recess, passed swiftly from the library, climbed
the stairs to her room, moved toward the drawer which held the essay, and
felt for the key in her pocket. It was gone. It must have fallen out
while she read, doubled up on the low step. In wild haste now, for the
minutes were flying and the board of editors might even now have
adjourned, she hurried back to search. The green baize doors swung open
in her face, and Berta and Laura came loitering out, their arms around
each other, their heads bent close together affectionately.

"Lucine, oh, Lucine!" Laura at sight of her slipped away from Berta,
"what is the matter? What has happened? Didn't they accept the essay?"

Brushing her aside Lucine swept on into the library, turned into the
recess, and dropped on her knees beside the step to look for the stray
key. Her eyes fell upon the open book which lay face downward where she
had forgotten it. Then she remembered. "I wish no living thing to suffer
pain."

It was long past ten o'clock and the corridors stretched out their dusky
deserted length from one dim gas-jet to another flickering in the
shadows, when Lucine crept back to her room. Laura raised a wide-eyed
anxious face from the white pillow.

"Lucine, I couldn't sleep until I knew."

The older girl sat down on the bed and drew the little figure close.

"When you are editor, Laura, will you try to like me still? And will you
keep on forgiving me and helping--helping me to deserve to have friends?
And will you--will you teach me how to make Harriet like me too?"

"Oh, Lucine!" Laura flung her warm arms around the bowed neck. "I know
what we shall do next year, if I can come back. The idea has just struck
me. You and Harriet and I shall room together in a firewall with bedrooms
for three!"

CHAPTER XII

AN ORIGINAL IN MATH

When Gertrude's brother turned up at college just before the holidays of
their senior year, he boldly asked for Bea in the same breath with his
sister's name. When the message was brought to her, that fancy-free young
person's first thought was a quick dread that Berta would tease her about
the preference. But no. Miss Abbott, chairman of the Annual's editorial
board, clasped her inky hands in relief.

"Bless the boy! He couldn't have chosen better if he had looked th