And there she lay, all in a miserable heap. Poor Marian! Surely Jane would be good to her when she knew how much her sympathy was needed.
The fate of Dolorez was of little interest. She might be outside the big gate in the shabby cottage banging around and breaking up the unfortunate furniture, for all anyone within the gates knew or cared; for Dolorez had been expelled peremptorily, the day previous. Not even a kind look from the troops of girls passing in and out was offered to mitigate her indignity. Dolorez evidently cared little for anything other than enterprise, and that of a forbidden variety when found around girls' colleges, where the fostering of unwholesome vanity is considered detrimental to their interests.
But Marian was still a pupil of old Wellington, and she was also a young and now a very heart-broken girl. With a throbbing head, she finally arose and bathed her tear-stained face. She was determined to seek out Judith and ask for her intervention before Mrs. Weatherbee should arrive. Out on the lonely path--all the girls were at their studies after the evening meal--Marian pulled up suddenly at the sight of a shadow coming toward her. It was just dark enough to outline the figure as that of a man. Marian stepped out of the path to allow him to pass. First she was impelled to slip behind the big oak tree, then with something of a reckless abandon, she kept to the roadway and encountered the youth face to face, under a dimly burning street lamp.
He stopped and raised his hat. Then spoke with an accent, inquiring for the office. Marian directed him, and was passing on when he asked:
"Do you happen to know is there here a young lady who is called Helen?"
Marian could not repress a smile. A girl named Helen!
"Oh, yes. There are a number of Helens here," she replied. "What other name?"
"Oh, I beg pardon," and he swung his hat with a grace peculiar to cultured foreigners. "I should have said Helen Powderly."
"Oh, yes, I know Helen very well. She is at Ivy Nook," replied Marian. "But you would have to see her in the office," she added not unkindly.
"I should suppose so," he agreed. "That is why I shall go to the building. I am glad to know she is still here, and I thank you, mademoiselle."