Ruth Fielding At College; or, The Missing Examination Papers

en they began a semester at Briarwood Hall. Their wardrobes here were well filled, and of c

nnie Stone, they found they had made no mistake in "

ough I were going to a

wide stairways, laughing and talking, many of the f

," whispered Jenni

rl?" ask

th all the lugga

fleshy girl. "Wh

said Ruth, who h

sed freshman. She saw that nobody

ts at our tabl

ith a smile, "Ruth has already

think she'd make a particularly

Helen, roguishly. "Ruth is always

d Ruth, shaking her head. "Maybe

and the big trunk?" said Jennie. "I see she

d," sighed Helen. "Can't dr

omment on for the trio to give much attention to Rebe

est in her. Her initial

ours, my dear," Jennie agreed. "Edie Phelps and

ll slang now that we have come to

mple then, my la

freshmen found their numbers; but Miss Frayne was at the housekeeper's table. There were ten

he senior was a particularly silent girl, she had a pleasant smile and was no wet blanket upon the enjoyment of the dinner. At least, she did not serve as a wet blan

the wide, well-lighted entrance hall of the hou

ned the fleshy girl.

y?" demanded Hele

nice," ob

the corner of her mouth. Then she added, most cordially: "Oh! how do you do! These

, but very brisk and neat, if not w

hands with the two introduced freshmen. "And how are you to-night

d face seem as long as pos

id, "I believe I could ha

at?" demande

ks of string beans for lunch, and by the middle of the afterno

so ridiculous that it was impossible not to be amused. "You should practise

ed Jennie with sudden vigor,

stressing curves of the fleshy girl without prejudice. "Here are upwards of a thousand

't!" gro

vy!" gasp

uttered a

ump cheek. "But you want to make new friends-you wish to be admired, I know. It wi

t of her momentary slough of despond. "But we all

er of mathematics' good spirits. A cloud settled

I hope you, as pupils at Ardmore, will never suffer s

a friendly hand upon Miss Cullam's arm. "I hope we three will

d Mill; then she smiled. It was a grouty person, indeed, who could l

a I shall be troubled by you or your friends." They had fallen behind

which the rooms of the three Briarwoods opened. Ruth could always find something pleasant to say. This w

ions of the instructor, Helen and Heavy ha

xed our sitting-room-study, I mean, of co

hen, with a startled glance around the roo

ou say?" asked

ho had this ro

first idea," returned t

s Ro

" asked Ruth, s

sure just what the matter was with her. But she

llam?" said the

hat urged the instructor to confide her tro

u and your friends, Miss Fielding, that I have felt about some of

llam! What d

ble chair at Ruth's gestured recommendation, as the girl switched on

he dimpled, too, and Miss C

irls who come as far as college, even to the freshman course in college, usuall

se I have a fancy to. I like you. Listen to t

llam," said R

bout her that Ruth had begun to delight in, "after all, we coll

iss Cu

he main worthy of our confidence. But we have ex

y are examinations. They come mainly toward the close of the

ents. When I received from the printers my copies of the questions to be proposed to the classes I really felt tha

eceived the papers. You have not seen ou

, Helen and I arrived only

ng called suddenly to a duty and not wishing to take the papers with me, I rolled them up and thrust them into a vase standing upon the table. When I returned in a few minutes,

a very beautiful and valuable silver one, and had its place of honor on that table. I could not stop to retrieve the ques

Ruth, interestedly, as the

uestion papers-was gone," said

O

for failure in mathematics went throu

Ruth again, an

other unfortunate matters connected with the disappearance of the vase, too. It has never been found

Is she suspected of stealing the

was initiating candidates on that night. One of the-er-'stunts,' as they call their ridiculous ceremonies, includ

nd at daybreak wandering alone upon the island in a hysterical condition. She insisted upon leavin

d copies from the printer. Of course, it is all ancient history now, my dear," ended the mathemati

he poor girl?" asked

sing. "She has not returned this year, and I u