"Good-night!" gasped Bess indignantly, as she plunged into bed.

It did not take a seeress to foretell Rhoda Hammond's unpopularity
during the opening days of this term at Lakeview Hall. It seemed
that before breakfast the next morning the whole school was buzzing
with the story of the doings of the girls of Corridor Four.

That a newcomer should set herself contrary to a custom that had
always been honored at the Hall, was considered unpardonable. Even
the older girls--seniors and juniors who thought themselves too
dignified for such escapades--had merely a sarcastic smile for the
new girl from the West. While the little girls--the "primes"--were
frankly curious, and could scarcely keep their gaze off Rhoda at
meals, or in the main hall at chapel.

The privilege of hazing had seldom been abused by the girls. Dr.
Prescott winked at the romps which never really hurt anybody. No
girl with "ingrowing dignity," as Amelia Boggs called it, could
hope to be happy with her fellows at Lakeview Hall.

"A proper amount of hazing is bound to reduce the size of the
sawney's ego," Laura remarked. "This wild Western person has a
swelled ego, if ever I saw one. But she shall be let alone, all
right, if that is what she is so anxious for."

Nan was, as she said, sorry for Rhoda; but she could do nothing
openly to help matters. She would not speak for the Western girl,
for she felt that, in justice, Rhoda was in the wrong.