ess into the incident that
happened in mathematics C on Monday. Anybody would have believed that
Berta was offended past forgiveness. She sat next to Robbie. She was not
very well prepared that morning, possibly in consequence of Saturday's
excitement. The instructor was more than usually curt and crisp with an
unsmiling sternness that struck terror to palpitating freshman hearts. In
the middle of the hour Berta became aware that a problem was traveling
rapidly down the row toward her; and she had not been paying attention.
She had not even noticed the statement of it, for it had started at an
apparently safe distance from her seat. Turning with a swift motion of
the lips she asked Robbie Belle to tell her. And Robbie Belle--how she
longed to tell it! It had almost leaped from her lips while conscience
reasoned wildly against it as deceit. It would not be honest. And
yet--and yet--the girls would think she was queer. They would say she was
mean and priggish, for she might have told Berta as easily as not.

There! the third girl from Berta was trying to explain her own ignorance
and failing brilliantly. Now the second was stammering through a
transparent bluff. Berta had settled back, coolly resigned to fate. How
she must suffer, after having stooped to ask for aid! Poor Robbie Belle!
Poor, lonely, disappointed Robbie Belle! For strange to say she flunked
too and the question journeyed on triumphantly to the mathematical
prodigy at the end of the row.

In the corridor outside Berta exerted her nimble self to overtake Miss
Sanders, who was sidling away in a strikingly unprincesslike manner, her
eyes shifting guiltily.

"So you didn't know the answer either? Wasn't that the biggest joke on
me! And really, Miss Sanders, I beg your pardon for asking. It popped out
before I could gather my wits. I am scared to death in that class, though
of course that is no excuse for sponging. I'm glad you didn't know it
enough to tell me after all."

Robbie Belle lifted the lashes from her flushed cheeks. "I--I did know
it," she said with a gulp.

"Oh!" said Berta, and stared, "how--how peculiar!"

Robbie Belle held back the tears till she had reached her room, seized
her hat and snatched her thickest veil. Then she fled to the loneliest
walk among the pines. Her veil was a rarity that rendered her an object
of curiosity to everybody she passed on the way. But she hurried on,
somewhat comforted by the conviction that no one could mar