the beads from the box
deftly fastened them about Elfreda's neck. "Grace will be glad to hear
of this," she remarked. "May I tell her and Anne?"

"Yes," returned Elfreda, "but please don't tell any one else." Pinning
on her new hat she hurried off to keep her long-delayed engagement with
the now thoroughly pacified Anarchist.

When the dinner bell rang, Miriam suddenly remembered that of the four
friends she was the only stay-at-home that night. Anne had gone to take
supper and spend the evening with Ruth Denton. As she took her seat at
the table she noted that Emma Dean's and Mildred Taylor's places were
also vacant.

"Where is everyone to-night?" asked Irene Evans, who sat opposite
Miriam.

"Grace, Anne and Elfreda were all invited out this evening," answered
Miriam. "I don't know anything about Miss Dean and Miss Taylor."

"Emma is spending the evening with her cousin, that other Miss Dean of
Ralston House," replied Irene. "Miss Taylor," she shrugged her shoulders
slightly, "is with Miss Wicks and Miss Hampton, I suppose."

"I don't think I shall overstudy to-night," announced Miriam, a little
later, as she rose from the table. "I'm going for a walk. Want to go
with me?"

"I'm sorry," replied Irene regretfully, "but I've a frightfully hard
chemistry lesson ahead of me to-night."

It had been an unusually balmy April and now that the moon was at the
full, the Overton girls took advantage of the fine nights to walk up and
down College Street or the campus. Sure of finding some one she knew,
Miriam slipped on her sweater, and, disdaining a hat, strolled down the
street toward the campus. Exchanging numerous greetings with students,
she wandered aimlessly across the campus toward a seat built against a
tree where she and Grace had had more than one quiet session.

As she neared the seat, which was somewhat in the shadow, she gave a
little startled exclamation. A girl was crouching at the darkest end of
the seat, her face hidden in her hands. Turning away, Miriam was about
to recross the campus when the utter despondency of the girl's attitude
caused her to go back. Stopping directly in front of the bowed figure,
she said gently, "Can I help you?"

The girl rose, and without answering was about to hurry away, when
Miriam, after one swift glance at her face, ran after her, exclaiming,
"Wait a moment, Miss Taylor!"

Mildred Taylor stopped and eyed Miriam defiantly. Despite her expression
of bravado, she looke