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ALICE
49

to join our chapter yet. She told you she was staying at Mrs. Fansler's?"

"No; I knew that," Dave replied. "I walked with her to the corner, Alice."

"Where did Nell go?" Alice asked, fluttering at a stab of that fear, that senseless fear which had been growing in these days when every girl now looked at Dave and wanted to know him.

"Oh, she was along," Dave responded and remembered how Nell had seemed lost in the half-light when he could still see Miss Netley's face.

Alice was questioning herself, how had he known that Fidelia Netley was staying at Mrs. Fansler's? She knew it must have been mere chance; yet it frightened her that Fidelia Netley had met him at once. And he thought her "great looking" and had walked with her to the corner forgetting that he had walked also with Nell.

"She was the one?" Dave asked.

"Who?"

"That girl; she's the Tau Gamma?"

"Yes. You—liked her?"

Alice had not meant to add that; she had not meant to talk about Fidelia Netley any more; but the question pressed itself. At first Alice had dimissed it; then she realized, "I'm not asking that because I'm feeling afraid." And she determined, "I won't be afraid; I've no cause to be; I won't."

"Why, I liked her," Dave replied. "I certainly liked her. Unusual and pleasant, too, isn't she?"

This was no disloyalty, to say that he liked a new