“How very lovely and noble of Miss Wild,” breathed Katherine, appreciatively.  Then, glancing around the disorderly room, she added:  “Now, Miss Minot, I feel almost like an intruder to have you so upset on my account.  Do let me help you put some of these things away.”

“Oh, never mind the truck,” Sadie lazily returned.  “I’ll take care of the things presently.  I’m right glad that you are a junior,” she resumed, in a comfortable tone.  “It is so much nicer to have a roommate who can go right along with you, and I’m sure you’ll be a great help to me.”

Katherine smiled as her companion thus unwittingly revealed a strong phase of her character.  She saw that her tendency was to lean upon the nearest prop; and, as to be “forewarned is to be forearmed,” she resolved to govern herself accordingly.

They chatted socially until the janitor appeared with Katherine’s trunk, whereupon Sadie bestirred herself once more to bring order out of chaos.

This was much easier said than done, and as she saw that she was going to be very much crowded, Katherine unpacked but very few things at that time.  She generously said she would try to get along with one-third of the closet and one of the drawers in the bureau, and utilize her trunk trays for her own waists and finery, while she could stow things not often needed in the lower portion.

Later she hired the janitor to put up a bracket shelf in one corner of the room, tacking a long chintz curtain to it, and, with a dozen hooks screwed into a cleat underneath, thus improvised a very convenient little closet for her individual use.

While the roommates were “becoming acquainted,” Jennie Wild, full of what she had seen and heard, and, for the time being, unmindful of the waiting algebra lesson, rushed down to the recreation room, where many of the students were still congregated, and reeled off her news to a bevy of curious and interested listeners.

The information that the new junior was a “Christian Scientist” created quite a flutter of excitement.  Some were horrified and indignant because such a pariah had been admitted to the seminary; others ridiculed and laughed to scorn the doctrines of the “new cult,” while a few appeared indifferent and declared that every one had a right to her own opinion upon religious subjects.

The matter was pretty thoroughly canvassed, however, the attitude of the principal having weighty influence and governing the preponderance of opinion; and by the time the supper bell rang almost every student in the house had learned the whole story and decided that, for the present at least, she would give the newcomer a wide berth.

Katherine became conscious of the iciness of the atmosphere the moment she entered the dining room and came under the battery of the hundred or more pairs of curious and critical eyes that were eagerly watching for her to appear.  Miss Reynolds, who had overheard some of the gossip and adverse criticisms, was also on the lookout for her, and approaching her with the graciousness which was her chief charm, observed: