But, oh! the mystery--the sadness of it--the fatality!" Rose Clymer left the High School with the settled, indifferent bitterness of one used to trouble.

Every desire she followed, turn what way she would, every impulse reaching to grasp some girlish gleam of happiness, resulted in the inevitable rebuke.

And this time it had been disgrace.

But Rose felt she did not care if she could only deceive her father.

No cheerful task was it to face him.