She read it with intense interest. Here were a care for life--for its pleasures--and a consecration of time that found no necessary detail too small for perfection. The charm of the book was upon her--its flawless form, its sanity, its strenuousness. There was something of the old defiance in her attitude toward this epicureanism, though the character of it was so exalted and pure. But at the close, when Marius simply puts himself aside and accepts death that his dear friend may live--happy in a love denied Marius--she put the book down very softly. By the profound stirring of her sympathies she felt how absolute was her acceptance of the whole character--as consistent with itself in sacrifice as in æsthetic enjoyment. The constantly increasing deference given Lilian because of the quality of her work contributed much to her contentment. The freer play of her intelligence was making itself felt. By the beginning of their senior year Lilian Coles and Edith Dareham were undoubted rivals for the European Fellowship. But the real excitement over the fellowship was not apparent until after the mid-year examinations. Then the strain began to be wearing on the two girls and their friends. "I wish the Faculty would come to a decision," said Katherine Leonard one evening in Clothilde Barry's room. She was on the window-seat between a big palm and a pile of notebooks. "If they don't very soon, I'll not get a degree in June. I love this place but I don't want to stay here all my life. It would be hard to fix my affections on another class. But I can't study till I know." "I think that possibility would stimulate them, if they only knew--" began Blanche. Just then the door was flung open and Alice Warburton came in impetuously--her usual manner, but some dramatic quality in this present haste must have made itself apparent, for the other girls assailed her breathless silence with questions. What she finally said was: "There is a Faculty meeting in Taylor." After a moment of comprehending silence, Blanche went out quickly. Katherine followed her. "Blanche, if you find out before the doors are locked, won't you come and tell me?"