Perhaps half of the girls in the reference room were seniors and juniors. Several of the members of the younger classes nodded to the newcomer, though not many noticed her in this way.
There was, however, almost immediately a general movement by the girls belonging to the senior and junior classes. They got up grimly, put away the books they were at work upon, and filed out, one by one, and without saying a word.
Helen stared after them, and nudged Ruth.
"What is it?" asked her chum, who had been too busy to notice.
"Did you see that?" asked Helen.
"Did I see what?"
"There isn't a senior or a jun left in the room. That—that's something more than a coincidence."
Ruth was puzzled. "I really wish you would explain," she said.
Helen was not the only girl remaining who had noticed the immediate departure of the members of the two older classes. Some of the sophomores were whispering together. Rebecca's fellow-classmen glanced at her sharply to see if she had noticed what had occurred.
"I can't believe it," Ruth said worriedly, after Helen explained. "They would not go out because she came in."