passed into the hall. Miss Fenler turned to look after her, as if not
sure if she had done wisely in permitting Patricia to enter with so
large a bundle, without first compelling her to open it, and spread its
contents for inspection.

Patricia's eyes had flashed when questioned about her parcel, but once
inside the hall, her anger increased, and she mounted the stairs,
tramping along the upper hall so noisily that several pupils looked out
to learn who had arrived. Farther down the hall a door opened, and Betty
Chase's laughing face looked out. She, too, had seen Patricia and Miss
Fenler on the porch and, while she did not like Patricia, she detested
the woman who seemed to enjoy spying, so her sympathy was, of course,
with the pupil.

"Had a scrap with the 'Fender'? I'd half a mind to say 'cow-catcher,'"
she said.

"Well, what if I did?" Patricia said, rudely, and walked on toward her
room.

Betty looked after her.

"Well, of all things!" she whispered, then said, "The next time you need
sympathy, try to buy some at the grocer's. Don't look to me!"

Patricia had done a rude, and foolish thing. Betty Chase was a favorite,
and Patricia had longed to be one of her friends, but thus far Betty had
been surrounded by her classmates, who hovered about her so persistently
that the pupils from Merrivale had not yet become acquainted with her.
Betty had hailed Patricia pleasantly, and she really might have paused