Mary Boyd opened the door herself. She was just coming out of the room, pitcher in hand, on the way to the bathroom for some cold water. She had on a gay little kimono and her hair was neatly brushed and braided for the night. "Back again?" she said to Carita, with a smile. "Yes, and this is my friend, Blue Bonnet Ashe." "How do you do?" Mary said, pausing a moment. "First year here, too?" "Yes, my first year." Mary waved her hand toward the room. "Make yourselves at home," she said hospitably. "Everything is in a muss, yet. I only got in myself this morning. I'll be back in a minute." "Don't you think she's nice?" Carita asked with enthusiasm, as soon as the door closed. "She seems to be. You're in luck, Carita. I wish you could see _my_ cross!" "We Freshies haven't any of the lugs you grown-ups sport," Mary said, entering the room with her pitcher of water. "There's only one bathroom on this floor for six girls. Fancy! Getting a bath is a regular Saturday night affair." "This is your first year here, too, then," Blue Bonnet said with some surprise. "No--second." "And you are a Freshman?" "Well, you see, I was out last year part of the time--typhoid fever--and--oh, I'm no high-brow, anyway! Mother thought I'd best take the year over again. She says I've plenty of time. I'm just fifteen." She laughed good-naturedly, showing a set of teeth dazzling in their perfection and whiteness. "I'm working hard this year, though. You see, I want a room with a bath, and you have to be a Sophomore to get it." "I see. An incentive, isn't it?" "This is a fairly good room, don't you think? It's the best on the floor. Carita's lucky--that is, as far as the room goes. My room-mate was called home three weeks before Christmas. Her mother died. Poor little Nell!" "I'm sorry for her," Carita said sympathetically, "but if she hadn't gone I couldn't have entered the school this year, it was so crowded." Somewhere down the length of the hall a gong sounded. "What's that for?" Blue Bonnet asked. "Bed. In a half hour another will ring and every light on this floor will go off instantly." Blue Bonnet looked at her watch. "You mean to say you have to be in bed at half-past nine o'clock?" Mary nodded. "Well, I reckon I'd better run. I haven't unpacked yet." "Oh, they aren't so awfully particular the first day. School doesn't really begin until to-morrow." Blue Bonnet started to say good night to Carita. As she bent to kiss her she paused. "Why don't you come down and stay with me to-night?" she said. "My room-mate isn't back yet. I shouldn't be half so lonesome." "All right--if--do you think they'd mind?" Carita addressed Mary. Mary took a look down the hall. "Skip along," she said generously. "All's serene on the Potomac. You'd better hurry though, while the coast's clear." And hurry they did. Blue Bonnet turned out the light in her room, which she had left burning, and threw up the window blinds, letting in a stream of silver light.