ed.

"I think so, too," agreed Grace. "Well, Elfreda, why this thusness? What
has happened? Have you been elected to the Pi Beta Gamma, or did you get
an unusually large check from home?"

"Catch the P. B. Gammas troubling themselves about me," scoffed Elfreda.
"As for a check, I've written for it, but so far I've seen no signs of
it. When I do lay hands on it we'll celebrate the event with feasting
and merrymaking."

"Then I can't guess," sighed Grace. "You'd better tell us."

"Well," began Elfreda, her eyes twinkling, "I have a dinner invitation
for to-morrow night at Martell's."

"That is nothing startling," scoffed Anne. "We've just come from
Vinton's."

"But the rest of my news is remarkable," persisted the stout girl. "I am
invited to dine"--Elfreda paused, then finished impressively--"with the
Anarchist."

"You don't mean it!" Grace looked her surprise.

"Of course I mean it," retorted Elfreda. "I wouldn't say so if I didn't.
She delivered her invitation on the way over to chapel this morning. I'd
give you an imitation of the way she did it if I hadn't accepted."

Grace shot a quick, approving glance toward Elfreda which the latter saw
and interpreted correctly. "I wouldn't have thought about that last
year, would I, Grace?" she asked shyly.

Grace laughed rather confusedly. "How did you guess so much? The way you
stumble upon things is positively uncanny."

"Observation, my dear, observation," returned Elfreda patronizingly.
"One can learn almost everything about everybody if one keeps one's eyes
open."

"You seem to carry out your own theory," admitted Grace smilingly. "Have
you finished your work for to-night?"

"Years ago," declared Elfreda extravagantly. "Miriam hasn't, at least
she was still studying when I left the room. I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll make some fudge. Mrs. Elwood will let me have some milk and we have
the rest of the stuff in our room. I'll send Miriam in here. Then I can
have the whole room to myself. When it's done, I'll call you."

With a joyful skip that fairly jarred the furniture in the room Elfreda
bounded through the doorway and vanished. Two minutes later Miriam
appeared, an amused look on her dark face, several books tucked under
one arm. "Driven from home," she declaimed, posing on the threshold, her
free hand appealingly extended. "Will no one help me?"

"I will." Grace reached forth her hand, dragging Miriam into the room.
"Hurry through your lessons and w