The luncheon bell now interrupted the talk. It seemed to Jane as she took her place at table that spiteful triumph lurked in the sharp glance Elsie Noble flashed at her. The conversation carried on by herself, Adrienne and Dorothy, centered almost entirely on the coming dance. From Adrienne, Jane learned that the Hall's three freshmen had already received invitations. When the little French girl announced this, Jane again fancied that she read satisfaction in the sharp features of the quarrelsome freshman. Though the latter had not addressed a word to her tablemates since her advent among them, she never missed a word they said. All three were well aware of this and it annoyed them not a little. When just before dinner that evening Judith and Jane compared notes, it was to discover the same thing. Neither had been successful in securing a freshman to escort to the dance. "I've asked five girls and every one of them turned me down," Judith ruefully acknowledged. "I thought I'd start early, but it seems others started earlier." "I've asked two different girls, but both have escorts," frowned Jane. "I sha'n't ask any more. I thought Miss Harper, the second girl I asked, refused me rather coolly. I want to do my duty as a soph, but I won't stand being snubbed." "Let's go and see what luck Ethel and Adrienne have had," proposed Judith. Indifferently assenting, Jane accompanied Judith to her friends' room. "Ah, do not ask me!" was Adrienne's disgusted outburst, "These freshmen are, of a truth, too popular. Four this day I have invited, but to no purpose." "I'm going to take Miss Simmons, a Barclay Hall girl, to the dance," informed Ethel. "I asked her this morning and she accepted." "Well, we seem out of luck," sighed Judith. "Do you know whether Mary and Norma have invited their freshmen?" "Mary's going to take Miss Thomas, an Argyle Hall girl. Norma hasn't asked any one yet," was Ethel's prompt reply. "You girls just happened to ask the wrong ones, I guess. Try again to-morrow. There are more than enough freshies to go round this year." After a little further talk, Jane and Judith went back to their room. "What do you think about it?" Judith asked abruptly the instant they were behind their own door. "I don't know. It's probably as Ethel says, 'a happen-so.' I can't think of any other reason, unless----" Jane stopped and eyed Judith steadily. "Unless some one in the freshman class has set the freshmen against us," quickly supplemented Judith. "Yes, that's what I was thinking. It doesn't seem possible in so large a class. Still one girl can sometimes do a good deal of mischief." "You mean Miss Noble?" Judith was too much in earnest to use the derisive name she had given the disagreeable freshman.