Nancy ran out of the room and Miss Merton turned to survey ruefully her empty purse and to read again a letter which had already arrived from her mother: 

My dear Rosalind:  I have not the additional money to spare you, my poor child.  The ten pounds which I weakly yielded at your first earnest request was, in reality, taken from the money which is to buy your sisters their winter dresses.  I dare not encroach any further on it, or your father would certainly ask me why the girls were dressed so shabbily.  Fourteen guineas for coral!  You know, my dear child, we cannot afford this extravagance.  My advice is to return it to your friend and to ask her to let you have the ten guineas back.  You might return it to me in a postal order, for I want it badly.  It was one thing to struggle to let you have it in the hopes that you would secure a really valuable garment like a sealskin jacket and another to give it to you for some rather useless ornaments.  Your affectionate mother,

  “Alice Merton.”

CHAPTER XIX

 In miss Eccleston’s sitting-room

Miss Eccleston was a dark, heavy-looking person; she was not as attractive either in appearance or manner as Miss Heath.  She was estimable, and the college authorities thought most highly of her, but her character possessed more hardness than softness, and she was not as popular with the girls and young lecturers who lived in Katharine Hall as was Miss Heath with her girls.

When Maggie entered Miss Eccleston’s sitting-room that evening she found the room about half-full of eager, excited-looking girls.  Miss Eccleston was standing up and speaking; Miss Heath was leaning against the wall; a velvet curtain made a background which brought out her massive and grand figure in full relief.

Miss Eccleston looked excited and angry; Miss Heath’s expression was a little perplexed, and a kind of sorrowful mirth brought smiles to her lips now and then, which she was most careful to suppress instantly.

As Maggie made her way to the front of the room she recognized several of the girls.  Rosalind Merton, Annie Day, Lucy Marsh were all present.  She saw them, although they were standing hidden behind many other girls.  Prissie, too, was there—­ she had squeezed herself into a corner.  She looked awkward, plain and wretched.  She was clasping and unclasping her hands and trying to subdue the nervous tremors which she could not conceal.

Maggie, as she walked across the room, singled Prissie out.  She gave her a swift glance, a brilliant and affectionate smile and then stood in such a position that neither Miss Eccleston nor Miss Heath could catch a glimpse of her.

Miss Eccleston, who had been speaking when Maggie entered the room, was now silent.  She had a note-book in her hand and was rapidly writing something in it with a pencil.  Some one gave Maggie a rather severe prod on her elbow.  Polly Singleton, tall, flushed and heavy, stood close to her side.