town," she said. "Do you want me to get
anything for you?" The question was put to Sara.

"We're out of alcohol. You'd better order some."

"Did you know that Berenice is campused for two weeks? She made fudge
Monday evening after the study bell rang. Miss Burkham discovered it at
once. Anyone passing through the hall could smell fudge cooking."

"It seems strange that Miss Burkham should campus her for that. We made
fudge. It was the first night and no one is expected to observe study
hours during the first evening."

"But Berenice lied. You know Miss Burkham will not tolerate deception.
It was not making fudge but the deception that caused the punishment."

Mame moved away. She would have been a beautiful girl, had she not
looked bored and unhappy.

"You're new suit is beautiful, Mame," said Sara over her shoulder.

"Do you think so? I simply cannot bear it. I never have anything like
other girls."

"That is Maine's old cry," said Sara when she was beyond hearing. "She
is the best-dressed girl in school and she has a father who is devoted
to her. She has everything in the world to make her happy, but she's
always complaining. Now, Erma is different. She's perfectly satisfied.
Every dress she owns is a perfect love of a dress."

Hester had said very little during this hour with Sara; but she had
learned a great deal. There had been no guile or envy in Sara's frank
expression of the virtues and faults of her friends; and not for an
instant did she think she was making an error or stepping over the
border line of kindliness when she told Hester all she knew of those
students.

CHAPTER VI

Hester was not a girl to condescend to subterfuge to gain a point. She
was often frank to painfulness. To her mind when one wished a favor, the
only way was to speak directly and ask for it. She was neither politic
nor tactful. She had decided that basket-ball was the one game that was
really worth playing. Tennis was old and did not appeal to her. She and
Jane Orr had played tennis ever since they had been old enough to hold a
racquet. But basket-ball! The thought of it sent the blood coursing
through her veins.

At the first opportunity, she spoke to Helen. She went to the subject
directly like a bullet to the bull's eye.

"Sara Summerson told me you were captain of the first team and that you
had a good bit of influence in getting the girls on the other teams. I
would like to play and I wish you would put me