What was the matter? I didn't see how you could possibly fail with that wonderful letter from the provost, and Miss Waring the librarian being an old friend of Mother's."

"Oh, friends!" sneered Melissa, taking off her beret and shaking the drops from it into the sink. "Now look! I've got my only good hat wet, and all for nothing."

"But what was the matter, Liss, didn't you even see her? Didn't she read the letter?"

"Oh, yes, I saw her, after waiting hours. She was in some kind of conference. She read the letter of course, and smiled her sweetest, and said she was so sorry but they had about decided on an assistant librarian. And then she looked at me as if I were some kind of merchandise she was rejecting. 'And anyway, are you through college, my dear?' And when I told her no, I had had only one year, she shook her head and said, 'Well, that would settle it. We're giving the preference to college graduates now. You know almost every young girl goes to college nowadays.' As if I were staying away from college to play Parcheesi!"

Suddenly Melissa sank into the one big overstuffed chair that the room contained and, putting her head down on the worn old arm, broke into heartbreaking sobs that shook her slender shoulders.

Phyllis was on her knees beside her in a moment with an arm about her shaking shoulders.

"There, Lissie dear, don't cry. There's probably something a lot better for you. Don't feel so bad, dear."

"Well, I do feel bad," said Melissa, suddenly sitting up and pushing her hair up from her forehead wildly. "Here I am a great big girl and just as able as any college graduate to be assistant librarian, you know I am. You know, Father has trained us all about books, and I had that library course besides, and I can't get in! Not even with that wonderful letter from the provost. The old grump! I wouldn't have felt half so bad if she hadn't smiled so much! Just smiled and called me 'dear'! I wanted to smack her hypocritical old face. Do you know what's the matter? I heard it just after I got there. Another girl that had applied for the same job sat next to me and talked awhile. She said she had heard that Miss Waring wanted to keep the job for her young niece who is graduating from college this spring, and she has turned heaven and earth to get a pull with the trustees and get her in. And they say that even if one got the job now, it would last only till spring because she is determined to get that niece in."

Phyllis patted her sister's hand and looked troubled.

"Didn't she say anything at all about Mother, and us, and that she was sorry, or anything?"

"Oh, yes," snapped Melissa. "Said she was sorry all right, honey and almonds all over her lips when she said it. She was surprised that Professor Challenger was willing that his daughter should go to work before she had finished her college course. Said she should think he would have insisted upon that at any sacrifice. Said if it was a question of money, that money could always be borrowed. Said if there was anything at all she could do for my mother to be sure to let her know. Was Mother quite well? She had always been very fond of Mother! Pah! The old hypocrite!"

"The idea!" said Phyllis, getting to her feet indignantly. "Father! Poor Father! Didn't you tell her he was sick and didn't know that you had come back from college? Didn't you tell her Mother was having a terrible hard time and you needed that job even if it was only for two or three months? But, no, of course you didn't. You couldn't. I understand perfectly, Lissa. Now don't think another thing about it."

"But I can't help thinking," said Melissa with trembling lip. "It was going to be so wonderful earning all that money. We could have had all we wanted to eat every day, and, Phyl, I'm hungry right now. Is there anything in the house to eat?"

Phyllis turned her head quickly away and swallowed hard, trying to control the shake in her voice, trying to answer cheerfully.