Grace Harlowes Fourth Year at Overton College | Page 4

since I locked Grace and Anne
out of their room and behaved like a savage. I don't wonder Elfreda
named me the Anarchist. I did my best to live up to the name."
"Oh, forget about that," murmured Elfreda, looking embarrassed.

The members of the club were wholly familiar with the history of
Laura Atkins's freshman year and admired her for the matter-of-fact
way in which she was wont to discuss her early short-comings. Under
the sunny influence of the four girls who had helped her to find herself,
she had developed into a gracious and likeable young woman. She and
Mildred Taylor were the guests of the club that afternoon.
"What is the latest word from erring freshmen? Has any one heard?"
asked Grace. Laura's reference to herself had set Grace to thinking of
freshmen in general.
"We've six at Ralston," groaned Julia Emerson. "The usual
variety--neither rich nor poor, brilliant nor dull, amiable nor perverse,
goody-goody nor lawless. Just that comfortable, maddeningly
commonplace variety of girls who never go to extremes."
"Extremes are dangerous," declared Elfreda judicially.
"Better be an extremist than nothing at all," grumbled Julia.
"For the first time since we came here, there isn't a single freshman at
Wayne Hall," announced Miriam.
"Are all the rooms taken?" asked Marian Cummings.
"All but half of one room," replied Emma Dean. "The illustrious Miss
West is alone in her glory. I heard Mrs. Elwood lamenting to-day
because that particular half was still vacant."
"Some one may take it yet," said Arline Thayer. "This is only the
second week of the term. Only yesterday a freshman arrived at Morton
House. Girls have been known to drift into Overton a whole month
after the beginning of the term."
"Did Miss West ask for a single?" questioned Grace of Emma.
"No, she doesn't in the least yearn for one. You know she is paying her
own way through college. She told Mrs. Elwood that it was all she

could do to keep her head above water as it was and couldn't afford to
think of a single. Of course, Mrs. Elwood hasn't charged her single
rates yet, but if no one else appears she will either have to pay the
advanced price or make other arrangements. Mrs. Elwood knows of
two girls who have been trying to get into Wayne Hall for a long time,
and who will come bag and baggage the moment she says the word."
"That is too bad," said Miriam slowly--"for Miss West, I mean."
A significant silence fell upon the company of girls. The same thought
was in each one's mind. It was Elfreda who finally voiced it. "It looks
as though the S. F.'s ought to get busy," she said slangily. "We might
lend her the money to make up the difference."
"I am afraid that wouldn't do," objected Anne, whose practical
experience with poverty had made her wise. "I imagine with her it is a
question of being economical. It wouldn't be fair to tempt her to
extravagance, for a single would be the height of improvidence,
particularly if she had to go in debt for it."
"Anne is right," declared Gertrude Wells decidedly. "But to be
perfectly frank, I am not in favor of the club taking up Miss West's case.
You all know how badly she behaved toward us last year, particularly
toward Grace. If we offered her help, no doubt we should be ridiculed
for our pains. I think the best thing for us to do is to let her alone."
"So do I," echoed Sarah Emerson.
Several affirmative murmurs went up from various girls.
"Now, see here," began Elfreda Briggs emphatically. "What is the use
in our calling ourselves Semper Fidelis and then going back on our
principles? When we organized this club, we didn't make any
conditions as to who should be helped and who shouldn't, did we?
Whoever needed help was to have it. If there is anyway in which we
can be of assistance to Miss West, then it is our duty to respond
cheerfully."

"Hurrah for you, Elfreda!" cried Arline. "You're an honor to the
Sempers and your own sweet native land. Of course we aren't going to
pick and choose whom we shall help. I think we had better appoint a
committee to call on Miss West and find out if we can render her any
financial assistance."
"I'm in favor of that committee," declared Emma Dean, "only don't ask
me to serve on it."
"Grace and Arline are the very ones for that stunt," proposed Julia
Emerson. "They can do it to perfection."
"Please don't ask me," said Grace with sudden earnestness. "I just can't,
that's all." Her face flushed, and a distressed look crept into her eyes
which her friends were quick to note.
"Suppose