hard for yourself. The girls won't forgive you."

"Forgive me? Well, I like that!" scoffed Rhoda.

"Oh, yes. It was all in fun. We all have to go through some such
performance--when we are greenhorns."

"Not for me!" exclaimed the Western girl with emphasis.

Nan was silent for a moment, guiding the new girl through the
unfamiliar and only half-lighted passages to the back stairway.
Then Nan asked:

"Does your knee hurt?"

"Of course it does."

"I have some lotion in my room. It is good for a sprain, or
anything like that. I'll get it for you and you can rub it in well
when you go to bed."

"If those girls come around to bother me again--"

"I'm afraid they won't," said Nan, sorrowfully.

"You're _afraid_ they won't?"

"Yes. They may let you very much alone. You won't have much fun
here."