y story," she announced still at the same strained
pitch, "I have changed my mind. Here is the ten-dollar bill."

"But it went to press three days ago," I exclaimed.

"And the Annual has gobbled up second choice," said Jo triumphantly.

"We jumped at it," corroborated Berta.

"To take out the prize story now would spoil the magazine," cried Adele.

"Impossible!" declared Janet.

"Nonsense!" said Laura under her breath.

The little freshman stared from one to another. Then suddenly her round
face quivered and crumpled. Throwing up one arm over her eyes she turned,
snatched at the door knob and stumbled out into the corridor.

I looked at Adele.

"Yes," she replied to my expression, "you'd better go and find out now.
It's for the honor of the Monthly. It would be awful to print
a--a--mistake," she concluded feebly.

Just as I emerged from the alleyway I caught sight of the small figure
fluttering around the corner of a side staircase half way down the dimly
lighted hall. I had to hurry in order to overtake her before she could
reach her own room. She must have been sobbing to herself, for she did
not notice the sound of my steps on the rubber matting till I was near
enough to touch her elbow. Then how she jumped!

"Pardon me, Miss Kiewit. May I speak to you for one minute?"

She nodded. I am not observant generally but this time I could see that
she said nothing because she dared not trust her voice to speak. She went
in first to light the gas. The pillows on the couch were tossed about in
disorder, and one of yellow silk had a round dent in it and two or three
damp spots as if somebody had been crying with her face against it.

Now I hate to ask direct questions especially in a situation like this
where I wished particularly to be tactful, and of course she would be
thrust into an awkward position in case she should dislike to reply. So I
sat down and looked around and said, "How prettily you have arranged your
room!"

The freshman had seated herself on the edge of her straightest chair. At
my speech she glanced about nervously. "My mother graduated here," she
explained, "and she knew what I ought to bring. Ever since I can
remember, she has been planning about college for me."

"What a fortunate girl you are!" This was my society manner, you
understand, for I was truly embarrassed. I always incline to small talk
when I have nothing to say. She caught me up instantly.

"Fortunate! Oh, me! Fortunate! Whe