"If it is, then I'll forgive you your other sins," retorted Arline.
"That is, if you promise to come and room with me. Isn't she
provoking, girls? I have a whole room to myself and she won't come.
Father wishes her to be with me, too."

"I'd love to be with Arline," returned Ruth bravely, "but I can't
afford it, and I can't accept help from any one. I must work out my
own problem in my own way. You understand, don't you?" She looked
appealingly from one to the other of her friends, who nodded
sympathetically.

"She's a courageous Ruth, isn't she?" smiled Arline, patting Ruth on
the shoulder.

At Ruth's corner they said good-bye to her. Then hailing a bus the
five girls climbed into it.

"So far we haven't seen any of our old friends," remarked Grace as
they drove along Maple Avenue. "I suppose they haven't arrived yet.
We are here early this year."

"I'd rather be early than late," rejoined Miriam. "Last year we were
late. Don't you remember? There were dozens of girls at the station
when we arrived. Arline and Ruth are the first real friends we have
seen so far. Where are Mabel Ashe and Frances Marlton, Emma Dean and
Gertrude Wells, not to mention Virginia Gaines?"

"If I'm not mistaken," said Elfreda slowly, her brows drawing
together in an ominous frown, "there are two people just ahead of us