"She knows that her father is earnest in his determination to have her complete her course here, and so she is resolved to get through as quickly as possible. She has lost one year, but there is no reason why she should lose two. She is discovering unsuspected capabilities for study in herself; you must have noticed that she takes no recreation and has no friends. She is settling down into a mere 'grind.'" "Margery Ainsworth, of all people!" "It is strange. She does not love study any better than she once did, but she has an indomitable perseverance when her will is aroused. Just now she is determined to get through college as soon as possible, and to maintain a good standing. I cannot see why Mr. Ainsworth is so resolved that she shall graduate from here. She is an only child, and her mother is an invalid. He must have some weighty reason for sending her off, when she would be such a comfort to her mother." "It must hurt her pride fearfully to be under constant supervision, not to be able to go where other girls go, and to feel that she is not trusted." "It is hard, most certainly, but Margery brought all that on herself. One cannot do wrong without meeting the penalties for it, in some way or other, even in this life. But if she succeeds in making the sophomore class, she will come into it with a clean page turned. I happen to know that the faculty means to give her a chance to wipe out old scores." "And you want to help the girl? Well, you don't suppose that any of the rest of us would be so mean-spirited as to make objections? If you think that, you had better withdraw our invitations." "Don't talk nonsense, my dearest Dolly," Constance said indolently. "I am too fatigued to argue with you." "Then come and have a walk, Con. Beth is working away at some problem in her advanced trigonometry that it would make me ill even to read over. I have come to have an added respect for Beth this year, when I see how deliberately she picks out all the mathematical courses. It would not be possible for me to do that. It tasks all of my mathematical resources just to keep account of my own allowance." Con laughed. "You excel Beth in some other things, so that you may consider yourself even. By the way where is Margaret? I would like her to go with us." "We might look into the library. She may be there," and Dolly made a mental note of Constance's unfailing watchfulness and care for her room-mate. As they drew near to the library, it became evident that Margaret _was_ there. The other occupants of the room were Abby Dunbar and her immediate coterie of half a dozen friends. For the most part, Abby had preserved a haughty coldness toward Margaret, although she indulged in petty meannesses and flings at her, whenever she imagined that she could do it without Constance's knowledge. She had no intention of cutting herself off absolutely from Miss Van Gerder's acquaintance.