RHODA IS UNPOPULAR


The blindfolded Rhoda came down so awkwardly that Nan feared she
would be hurt. The girl from Tillbury screamed a warning--which was
useless.

But in that exciting moment Nan noted something that afterward gave
her a sidelight upon Rhoda Hammond's character. As the Western girl
felt herself going she snatched off the blindfolding towel.

Self-possession! Rhoda owned that attribute, largely developed. She
was cool, if angry.

When she landed on the padded platform, she fell on her knees, and
the fall must have jarred her. But she was up in a flash, and the
girl with the dipper, Minnie Wolff, found herself in the muscular
grasp of Rhoda's arms.

"There, now, I've had enough of this foolishness!" snapped the
Western girl, limping toward the platform steps. "I've wrenched my
knee, and I should hope you'd be satisfied. I want nothing more to
do with your baby plays! I came to Lakeview Hall to study and learn
something--"

"Oh, you are going to learn something all right," drawled Laura,
interrupting Rhoda's angry speech. "But I can see it is going to
take you some time, Miss Rhoda Hammond. You are going to have a
nice time here!"