Anne was afraid to tell, for fear she’d ‘never hear the last of it,’” sneered Elfreda, mimicking Anne.  “She’s right, too.  She never will.  I’ll not stop until I tell every girl at Overton the whole story.  When you come back,” she went on, turning to Miriam, “you’ll find that I’ve moved.  I thought you were nice and I tried to be like you, but now I don’t care to live in the same house with you, and I don’t intend ever to notice any of you again.  With that she rushed across the hall, slammed the door, and turned the key.

“Locked out,” said Miriam grimly.  “I hope she’ll let me in before the dinner bell rings.  I’d like to change this grimy blouse for a clean one.  I’ll try to reason with her, once she opens the door.”

“Shall we go in, too, and try to explain matters?” asked Anne.  “I didn’t say that she would tell the girls about my stage work.  Surely, she understands, too, that we are not at liberty to invite her to go with us.  I’ll tell you what I will do.  I’ll telegraph the Southards and ask permission to invite her.  They will be perfectly willing for us to bring her.”

“That might be a good plan,” reflected Grace.  “Don’t waste another minute, Anne, but telegraph Miss Southard at once.”

“Yes, go ahead,” counseled Miriam, “and while you’re gone I’ll try to pacify Elfreda.”

But all Miriam’s efforts to restore peace failed.  When a little later she knocked gently on the door, Elfreda unlocked it, but received her roommate’s friendly overtures in sulky silence.  After dinner, for the first time since the sophomore reception, she spent the evening in Virginia Gaines’s room and that night the two girls prepared for sleep without exchanging a word.

Meanwhile Anne telegraphed, “May we bring friend?  Will explain later.  Anne,” and was anxiously awaiting a reply.  It came the next morning while they were at breakfast and read:  “Your friends always welcome.  Telegraph train you will arrive.  Mary Southard.”  Anne passed the telegram to Grace, who sat next to her.  After one quick glance at it Grace passed it to Miriam.  Elfreda, who sat directly opposite her, watched the passing of the telegram with compressed lips.  Miriam, raising her eyes from the yellow slip, found those of her angry roommate fixed on her in mingled curiosity and disdain.  Ignoring the look she said quietly, “I should like to see you for a moment after breakfast, Elfreda.  I have something to tell you.”

The stout girl’s eyes narrowed.  She glanced about the table and saw Virginia Gaines watching her with a disagreeable smile.  The sophomore raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders as though to say, “So, you are going to allow her to order you about.”  Elfreda’s face grew dark with angry purpose.  She leaned well forward across the table and said in a tone of suppressed fury:  “Kindly keep your remarks to yourself.  I don’t care to hear them.”

“Very well,” replied Miriam coldly, although her eyes flashed and the temper that had been all but uncontrollable in days gone by threatened to burst forth in all its old fury.  Several girls smiled, and Virginia Gaines laughed aloud.