mpliment, mollified Ethelinda a trifle, in spite of
her resentment over the former speech. But it still rankled, and she
could not forbear saying a little spitefully, "Thanks! What a soft,
light touch you have. Quite like a maid I had last year. By the way, her
name was Mary. And it was awfully funny. It happened at that time that
every maid in the house was named that, and whenever mamma called 'Mary'
five or six of them would come running. I used to tell my maid that if I
had as common a name as that I'd change it."

Something in the way she said it set Mary's teeth on edge. She had never
known any one before who purposely said disagreeable things. She often
said them herself in her blundering, impetuous way, but was heartily
sorry as soon as they were uttered. Now for the first time in her life
she wanted to retaliate by saying the meanest thing she could think of.
So she answered, hotly, "Oh, I don't know. I'd rather be named Mary
than a name that means _noble snake_, like Ethelinda."

"Who told you it means that?" was Ethelinda's astonished demand. "I
don't believe it."

"You've only to consult Webster," was the dignified reply. "I looked
your name up in the dictionary the day I first heard it. Ethel means
noble, but Ethelinda means noble _snake_. I suppose nobody ever calls
you just _Inda_," she added meaningly.

Ethelinda's eyes flashed, but she had no answer for this queer girl who
seemed to have the Dictionary and the Peerage and no telling how many
other sources of information at her tongue's end.

Again the dressing went on in silence. Mary finished first, all but a
hook or two which she could not reach, and which she could not muster up
courage to ask Ethelinda to do for her. Finally, gathering up her armful
of roses, she went across the hall to ask Dorene's assistance.

"Why, of course!" she cried, opening the door wide at Mary's knock. "You
poor child! Think of having a room-mate who is such a Queen of Sheba she
couldn't do a little thing like that for you!"

"But I didn't ask her," Mary hurried to explain, eager to be perfectly
honest. "I had just made such a mean remark to her that I hadn't the
courage to ask a favour."

"_You!_" laughed Cornie. "I can't imagine a good natured little puss
like you saying anything very savage to anybody."

"But I did," confessed Mary. "I _wanted_ to hurt her feelings. I fairly
ached to do it. I should have said something meaner still if I could
have thought of i