ed beneath one as one trailed wearily Newnhamwards.
What a comfort to be fussed over and petted, treated as distinguished
invalids whom the College was privileged to tend!

The Tripos girls "sat at High" at the head of the room, surrounded by
attentive Dons, with the V.C. herself smiling encouragement, and urging
them to second helpings of chicken (chicken!!). By the time that it was
necessary to start forth for the afternoon's ordeal they felt mentally
and physically braced, and the operation feeling lessened sensibly.

At the afternoon's ordeal, however, the weariness and depression grew
more acute than ever, and on the walk home the comparing of answers had
anything but a cheering effect. No girl was satisfied; each was morally
convinced that her companions had done better than herself. Where she
had failed to answer a question, a reminder of the solution filled her
with despair. Of course! It was as simple as ABC. She had known it
off by heart. Nothing short of softening of the brain could explain
such idiotic forgetfulness.

It was a kindly custom which separated the sufferers on their return to
College, each one being carried off by her special second-year adorer to
a cheery little tea-party, for which the most congenial spirits and the
most delectable fare were provided. Here the tired senior was soothed
and fed, and her self-esteem revived by an attitude of reverence on the
part of the audience. The second-year girls shuddered over the papers;
were convinced that never, no never, could they face the like, and
suggested that it would be a saving of time to go down at once.

Later on that first evening, when Marian White appeared to put her
invalid to bed, she bore in her hand a letter from Margaret France,
which Darsie hailed with a cry of joy.

"Ah! I _thought_ she would write to me. I wondered that I didn't have
a letter this morning, but she was right as usual. She knew I should
need it more to-night!"

Margaret's letter was short and to the point--

"Dearest Darsie,--A year ago you were cheering me! How I wish I could
do the same for you in your need, but as I can't be present in the
flesh, here comes a little line to greet you, old dear, and to tell you
to be of good cheer. You are very tired, and very discouraged, and very
blue. I _know_! Every one is. It's part of the game. Do you remember
what a stern mentor I had, and how she bullied me, and packed me to bed,
and took away my boo