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 It was not a lovely room but was merely a plainly papered, almost square bed chamber with ordinary oak bed-room set of substantial design; and it was at the rear of the house. Every other girl who had taken it had commented upon this inescapable fact; no one had ever so enthusiastically approved it because its window was east.

"Yes, child," said Mrs. Fansler. "It's east. What beautiful hair you have!"

Fidelia was taking off her toque without thinking either of what Mrs. Fansler or of what she, herself, was saying; for almost automatically she could notice such items as the east outlook of a room and comment upon such an advantage, repressing remark upon disadvantages. What she was thinking about was the method of her first move in this new set of men and girls who were bound to take opposite sides over her—who, in fact, already had begun to divide in regard to her.

She laid down her toque and slipped off her fur coat and stood in her brown tailored suit which disclosed the rounded and well-proportioned fullness of her youthful figure. This presented a test of friendship which some women, who approved her nose and skin and hair, failed to pass; but Mrs. Fansler passed it and Fidelia felt on her blouse for a little jeweled clasp pin which was fastened there and she started to remove it.

"Oh, you're a Tau Gamma!" Mrs. Fansler exclaimed, recognizing the pin as the emblem of a college sorority.

"Yes," admitted Fidelia. "I was; at Minnesota."