Sound of Jane's voice caused Alicia to glance up in startled fashion. She had been faintly smiling over her letter when first Jane glimpsed her. Now her pale face underwent a swift, ominous change. She hastily rose. "I didn't wish to see _you_," she said stiffly, and marched into the house. Jane's primary impulse was to follow her and demand an explanation. The rebuff, however, had stirred again into life the old, rebellious pride which had formerly caused her so much unhappiness. For a moment she stood still, hands clenched, cheeks flaming with mortification. Then with a bitter smile she walked slowly up the steps and into the house. After that affront Alicia would wait a long time before she, Jane Allen, would seek an explanation. "Well, it has come," she said sullenly, as she entered her room where Judith sat at the dressing table, recoiling her long brown hair. "What's come? By 'it' do you mean yourself?" Judith turned in her chair with a boyish grin. "No," Jane answered shortly. "Alicia Reynolds has gone back to her old chums." "You don't mean it!" Judith's hands dropped from her hair. In her surprise she let go of half a dozen hair pins she had been holding in one hand. "Now see what you made me do," she laughingly accused. "Get down and help me pick them up." "Oh, bother your old hairpins!" exclaimed Jane savagely. "I'm awfully upset about this, Judy. I felt last night as if I should have gone to Alicia and asked her what was the matter. This is some of Marian Seaton's work." "Of course it is," calmly concurred Judith. "I haven't the least idea of what it's all about, but I agree with you just the same. I'll agree even harder when I do find out." In a few jerky sentences Jane enlightened Judith. "So that's the way the land lies," commented Judith. "Well, I'm not surprised. Take my word for it the ignoble Noble has had a hand in this. Just the same I don't believe Alicia has gone back to Marion Seaton. She's merely hurt over some yarn that's been told her. You'd better see her, Jane, and have it out with her." "I won't do it." Jane shook an obstinate head. "Alicia ought to know better than listen to those girls. She knows how badly Marian Seaton behaved last year about basket-ball. She knows that Marian is untruthful and dishonorable. If she chooses to believe in a person of that stamp then she will have to abide by her choice." It was the stubborn, embittered Jane Allen of earlier days at Wellington who now spoke. "Only the other day I said to Dorothy that I didn't hate Marian Seaton any longer; that I felt only sorry for her. I said, too, that there must be some good in her if one could only find it. What a simpleton I was!" The sarcastic smile that hovered about Jane's red lips, fully indicated her contempt of her own mistaken sentiments. "Adrienne was right," she said after a brief pause. "She said she could never forget nor forgive an injury. I thought I could, but I can't. I mean I don't want to."