on to the door of a single at the
end of the corridor.

"Come in," a voice called in response to her knock.

Patty turned the knob and stuck her head in. "Hello, Cathy! Are you
busy?"

"Of course not. Come in and talk to me."

Patty shut the door and leaned with her back against it. "This isn't a
social call," she announced impressively. "I've come to see you
officially."

"Officially?"

"You're president of students, I believe?"

"I believe I am," sighed Cathy; "and if the President of the United
States has half as much trouble with his subjects as I have with mine,
he has my sincerest sympathy."

"I suppose we are a great deal of trouble," said Patty, contritely.

"Trouble! My dear," said Cathy, solemnly. "I've spent the entire week
running around to the different cottages making speeches to those
blessed freshmen. They _won't_ hand in chapel excuses, and they _will_
run off with library books, and, altogether, they're an immoral lot."

"They can afford to be; they're young," sighed Patty, enviously. "But
I," she added, "am getting old, and it's time I was getting good. I've
called to tell you that I've over-cut four times, and I haven't any
excuse."

"What are you talking about?" asked Cathy, in amazement.

"Chapel excuses. I've over-cut four times,--I think it's four, though
I've rather lost count,--and I haven't any excuse."

"But, Patty, don't tell me that. You must have some excuse, some reason
for--"

"Not the shadow of one. Just stayed away because I didn't feel like
going."

"But you must give me _some_ reason," remonstrated Cathy, in distress,
"or I'll have to report it to the committee and you'll be deprived of
your privileges. You can't afford that, you know, for you're chairman of
the Senior Prom."

"But I didn't have any excuse, and I can't make one up," said Patty. "I
will soon be thirty, and then forty, and then fifty. Do you think a
woman of that age is attractive if she deals in subterfuges and
evasions? Character," she added solemnly, "is a plant of slow growth,
and the seeds must be planted early."

Cathy looked puzzled. "I don't know what you're talking about," she
said, "but I suppose you do. Anyway," she added, "I'm sorry about the
chairmanship; but I'm--well, I'm sort of glad, too." She laid a hand on
Patty's shoulder. "Of course I've always liked you, Patty,--everybody
does,--but I don't believe I've ever appreciated you, and I'm glad to
find it out before we leave coll