As she stood there looking more serious than usual, she was more than pleased to hear Nora's well-known voice exclaiming,
"Why, Julia, are you here all alone? Where's Brenda? Dear me, is this really your first day of school?"
Julia smiled. "I can't answer all your questions at once, but I don't know where Brenda is, and this is to be my first day of school."
"Is that why you look so mournful? Now we're not such a bad lot. Come, let me introduce you to some of your companions in misery." Then before Julia could object, she found herself receiving introductions to most of the girls in the room, even to the very one whose criticism had annoyed her. She was a thin girl with light hair and eyes and eyelashes. Her chin was long and her face was somewhat freckled.
"This is Brenda Barlow's cousin Julia," said Nora, pleasantly.
"Yes, I thought you were Brenda's cousin," said the light-haired girl turning toward Julia. "Brenda's been dreading your coming to school."
Julia flushed as any girl might at a remark of this kind, even while she realized the unkindness of the speech.
"Nonsense, Frances," said quick-witted Nora, "I'm sure you never heard Brenda say anything so disagreeable."
But the light-haired girl had turned away. She was in the habit of making thoughtless remarks without caring whom they hit. Nora gave Julia's hand a gentle squeeze. "Brenda's just as glad as I am that you're coming to school," she whispered to Julia. But Julia shook her head, half sadly. She had already begun to see some of her cousin's peculiarities.
By this time many girls were rushing in from the dressing-rooms laughing and chattering as if they must say as much as possible before school began.