the good in the world if some day somebody had the courage to knock
sparks out of her. We do what we can in a mild way," (here the other
chuckled) "but she's got the ears of both Miss Rodgers and Miss Morley,
and if you go on the rampage against her you only land yourself in a
scrape. Of course, for purposes of protection the Transition girls have
to unite and----"

"Peachy! Take care!" exclaimed Jess warningly.

Peachy blushed crimson under her freckles.

"I wasn't telling anything!" she retorted. "I suppose Irene----"

"_Do_ shut up!"

"Well Agnes said herself----"

"It doesn't matter what Agnes said."

"She's fixed----"

"Peachy Proctor, if you blab like this you'll be tarred and feathered.
Girl alive, can't you keep a still tongue in your head? If you'd lived
in the Middle Ages you'd have ended your days in a dungeon!"

Jess spoke hotly, and, by the general scandalized look on the faces of
the others, Irene judged that luckless Peachy must have been on the
verge of betraying some secret. She tactfully turned the conversation
with a remark upon the beauty of the sunset, and the clanging of the
garden bell opportunely broke up the gathering, and sent the girls
hurrying helter-skelter along the terrace in the direction of the house.
Irene paused for a moment to look back at the sea and the sky, and the
distant twinkling lights, and to curtsy to the crescent moon that hung
like a good omen in the dome of blue. There was a scent of fragrant
lemon blossoms in the air, and she trod fallen rose petals under her
feet. Suddenly a remembrance of the desolation of Miss Gordon's garden
in a February fog swept across her mental vision. Whatever trials she
might encounter here--and she did not expect her new life to be absolute
Paradise--the environment of this school in the south was perfect and
would make up for many disadvantages.

"Give me sunshine and flowers and I'll always worry on somehow," she
murmured, plucking a little crimson rose, and tucking it into her dress
for a mascot, then ran with flying footsteps under the orange trees to
catch up with her companions, who were already mounting the marble steps
that led to the Villa Camellia.

CHAPTER IV

A Secret Sorority

The dormitories at the Villa Camellia were among the main features of
the establishment, and were a source of considerable pride and
satisfaction to the principals, Miss Rodgers and Miss Morley. They were
always shown to parents as t