he made blunders there was no one to
laugh but herself.

Cold weather came on. The crimsons turned to russet and brown, the
hickories grew paler and paler until their gold had degenerated and
their leaves shriveled up. There was a soft, light snow the middle of
November that hung about on everything for a day or two and then winter
seemed to set in. But it was so cheerful with the crowd of girls and the
interested teachers that one didn't mind it.

Miss Craven was still very self-contained and reserved. She took her
place in some classes, however. In music she improved rapidly, leaving
Helen far behind. She spoke to Helen now and then of her own accord, but
waited for the others to speak to her. Mrs. Aldred took special pains to
make her feel at home.

"There's something queer about that girl," said Miss Mays one evening.
"And Craven is not an attractive name, though it seems to suit her. I
hope her father hasn't been a bank defaulter, nor a forger, nor a
swindler! You notice that she seldom looks up at anyone. That suggests
concealment."

"Is that a fair judgment?"

"Well, I like a person to look you straight in the eye."

"Roxy Mays, you could stare anyone out of countenance in two minutes, no
matter how straight they looked at you. And hasn't someone written a
verse or two about down-dropping lids and shy eyes, and eyes that seem
to listen rather than look."

"As if eyes could listen!"

"Isn't every sense assisted by every other sense? And doesn't a deaf
person listen with the eyes?"

"Well--I don't like her. She doesn't take hold anywhere. You must meet
people half-way. Now here is Helen frank to a fault, and looking up at
you like a saucy robin. One would know she has nothing to conceal."

Helen flushed and laughed. She often recurred to Mrs. Aldred's suggested
caution. She occasionally heard girls tell incidents about their
families that were neither amusing nor commendable, and that others
turned into ridicule. Some of these, girls would laugh at Uncle Jason,
and oh, what would they say about Aunt Jane! She had simply mentioned
them with the utmost respect. And that a relative of Mrs. Aldred's was
educating her was sufficient.

"Well, there seems to be plenty of money in the Craven exchequer. Her
toilette articles are exquisite. I don't believe she had the taste to
choose them, nor her clothes either."

"Oh, girls, let her alone. Isn't Miss Reid just as distant and
self-contained? She never joins