have had a very lonely and silent meal; for after one or two
efforts to engage her nearest neighbor in conversation had been
coldly repulsed, the tactful woman threw herself into the gap and
the two chatted socially until they arose from the table.

"She is a dear, sweet girl, and I am going to nip this nonsense in
the bud," Miss Reynolds observed to herself on the way upstairs,
where, in the main hall and parlors, the students usually spent an
hour, socially, after the evening meal. But as she presented her
charge, here and there, she only became more indignant in view of
frigid salutations and a general stampede wherever they made their
appearance, not to mention the scarlet spots that settled on
Katherine's cheeks and her unnaturally brilliant eyes, although,
in other respects, she appeared perfectly serene and self-
possessed.

"Please do not trouble yourself any further on my account, Miss
Reynolds," she said, when she observed the look of dismay on her
face as she glanced around the almost empty room they were in. "I
understand the situation perfectly; they have all learned that I
am a Christian Scientist, and, having conceived an erroneous idea
of what that means, are avoiding me."

"It is the most absurd, cruel and unjust treatment of a stranger I
ever heard of," returned her companion, with flashing eyes, "and I
shall make it my business to see that there is a radical change
before another day goes by."

"Please do not," Katherine pleaded, earnestly. "I would much
prefer that matters be left to adjust themselves; any interference