Anne could never tell what prompted her to rise and stroll over to the group.  The young women were so busily engaged in their conversation that they did not notice her approach.  Anne heard one of them say in a disgusted tone, “I can’t understand why Gertrude invited them.  She knows we dislike them.”

“She seems very friendly with them,” grumbled another girl.  “If I had known they were to be here I should have stayed upstairs or gone out rather than meet them.  They showed extremely bad taste accepting Gertrude’s invitation.”

“Perhaps they don’t know that we are down on them,” suggested a pale-faced girl rather timidly.

“Of course they know it,” sputtered one of the two disgruntled freshmen.  “Nell and I almost cut that Miss Harlowe the other morning.  Don’t try to stand up for her, Lillian.  She and that Miss Briggs are beneath the notice of the really nice girls here.  Overton doesn’t want bullies and tale-bearers.  They’re not in accordance with college spirit.”

The contempt with which these words were uttered stung Anne to action.  Stepping forward she said quietly, although her eyes flashed, “Pardon me, but I could not help hearing what you said.  Will you permit me to speak a few words in defense of my friend, Grace Harlowe?”

An astonished silence fell over the group of girls.  Before one of them had time to recover from her surprise at Anne’s intrusion, she began to speak in low tones that attracted no attention outside themselves, but whose earnestness carried conviction to those listening: 

“You are evidently not in possession of the true account of what happened to Miss Briggs the day she came to Overton.  You know, perhaps, that two sophomores took advantage of her verdancy and hazed her.  Perhaps they neglected to state, however, that they accepted her invitation to eat ice cream before they returned her hospitality by conducting her to the hall of a public building where they left her to wait for the registrar.  Considering the fact that she was tired from her long ride, and had had no supper, I think it was an extremely poor exhibition of the much vaunted Overton spirit.  It was late that night before she reached her boarding house.  She was naturally indignant and next day reported the matter to the registrar.  This, I must admit, was unwise on her part.  She is very sorry, now, that she did so.”

“All this is not news to us,” snapped Marian Cummings, one of the two freshmen Anne had overheard at the reception.  She stared insolently at Anne.

“But what I am about to tell you will perhaps surprise you,” Anne answered evenly.  “Miss Briggs received a note purporting to come from the whole sophomore class.  The writer of the note threatened her with vague penalties if she attended the sophomore reception, and practically ordered her to leave college.”

The girls looked at one another without answering.  This silence showed only too plainly that this was indeed news.