wdly suspected that the mysterious freshman had come
from a home of wealth, and was posing as a poor girl for some reason
best known to herself. Jean's remarkable wardrobe had impressed her
deeply, while Jean herself carried out the impression of having been
brought up in luxury. She was self-willed, extravagant, careless of the
future, and her flippant opinion, delivered to Althea, of the Service
Bureau and work in general, was all that was needed to convince the
shrewd junior of Jean's true position in life. Then, too, Jean was
extremely likable, although Althea stood a little in awe of her
remarkable poise and a certain imperiousness that occasionally crept
into the girl's manner.

Jean rang the bell at Holland House with mingled feelings of resentment
and defiance. Resentment against Evelyn for daring to take her to task;
defiance of Grace and her commands.

"Is Miss Parker in?" she inquired of the maid who opened the door.

"She just came in, miss."

"Very well. I'll go on upstairs. She won't mind me."

Jean knocked on Althea's door. Althea called an indifferent "Come in,"
and she entered to find her engaged in reading a letter that had come by
the afternoon mail.

"Oh, hello, Jean," she drawled at sight of the other girl. "You must
have come in right behind me. What are you glowering about?"

"Evelyn is angry with me because I had the sale," began Jean. "That's
what I came to tell you. I'm sorry I told her that Miss Harlowe had
forbidden me to have it. Now she thinks I ought to go to Miss Harlowe
and tell her that I disobeyed her before she hears of it from some other
source."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Althea. "Don't be so silly. Ten chances to one
she'll never hear of it. If ever she does, it will probably be as
ancient history. I'll caution the girls again to keep still. Who told
Evelyn?"

"That Miss Correll. Evelyn saw her wearing my black and white check
coat and recognized it," returned Jean gloomily. "She came rushing into
my room like a young tornado with the plea that Miss Harlowe would blame
her for my misdeeds." Jean was tempted to add that which Evelyn had told
her in confidence. Then her better nature stirred, and she was silent.

"Evelyn isn't nearly as good company this year as she was last,"
complained Althea. "Ever since the latter part of her freshman year,
she's been so different. I've always had an idea," Althea lowered her
voice, "that last spring she broke some rule of the college and