re indignant, and a few openly rebellious, but the majority were
either indifferent or satisfied that the Hill clique was as good as any
other that might get control in its stead. So the active opposition had
been able to accomplish nothing, and Hill's machine, as a cynical
sophomore had dubbed it, had elected its candidates for three class
officers and the freshman representative on the Students' Commission,
while the various class committees were largely made up of Jean
Eastman's intimate friends.

"I hope that some of the crowd have nicer manners than our dear Eleanor
and are better students," Mary Brooks had said to Betty. "Otherwise I'm
afraid your ship of state will run into a snag of faculty prejudices
some fine day."

Betty belonged to the indifferent faction of the class. She was greatly
interested in all its activities, and prepared to be proud of its
achievements, but she possessed none of the instincts of a wire-puller.
So long as the class offices were creditably filled she cared not who
held them, and comparing her ignorance of parliamentary procedure with
the glib self-confidence of Jean, Eleanor and their friends, she even
felt grateful to them for rescuing the class from the pitfalls that
beset inexperience.

Katherine, on the other hand, was a bitter opponent of what she called
"ring rule," and Adelaide Rich, who was the only recruit that they could
succeed in adding to their party, had never forgotten the depths of
iniquity which her pessimistic acquaintance had revealed in the
seemingly innocent and well conducted first meeting, and was prepared to
distrust everything, down to the reading of the minutes.

The three were vigorously applauded when they appeared in the door of
No. 19, the biggest recitation room in the main building and so the one
invariably appropriated to freshman assemblies. Katherine whispered to
Mary that she had not known Betty was quite so popular as all that; but
a girl on the row behind the one in which they found seats explained
matters by whispering that three had been the exact number needed to
make up a quorum.

The secretary's report was hastily read and accepted, and then Miss
Eastman stated that the business of the meeting was to elect a class
representative for the Washington's Birthday debate.

"Some of you know," she continued, "that the Students' Commission has
decided to make a humorous debate the main feature of the morning rally.
We and the juniors are to t