somebody must drop back. Dave was about to do this when Dorothy eliminated herself by suddenly calling after a girl in another group and hurrying ahead. "She's some history notes I positively have to see," Dorothy explained.
Fidelia and Alice both started to the inside of the walk, each leaving to the other the place next to Dave. Alice went so far that she stepped into the deep snow and Fidelia helped her brush her skirt when she stepped back. They went on with Alice where Dorothy had been and Fidelia next to Dave.
Many men and girls called to them as they came to the campus; for almost everybody in college knew either Alice or Dave. Everybody, without exception, looked at Fidelia Netley; and, when they looked, they contrasted her with Alice beside her.
Dave felt that they were doing somewhat as they did when Dorothy was with Miss Netley; it was not that, but enough like it to make him angry. Speaking to Fidelia Netley, he looked from her to Alice. She was paler, less strong surely, less—alive. No; he would not say that. Alice was not less alive. Less something but not that!
So, feeling dissatisfied and irritated over it, he went with the girls to class.
