were waiting for Elinor on the
steps of the Academy. Judith was looking very happy, and Patricia,
while she had a perturbed air, was no less triumphant in her manner.

"I wonder what keeps Elinor? She's awfully late," complained Judith,
shifting on one foot. "Let's go in and have lunch without her."

Patricia shook her head decisively.

"Not much. You'll wait here in solitude till she comes. I'm not going
to have you spout it out before any old person, and get us into hot
water, perhaps. Here's Elinor now. Come on, Norn, we're about dead,
standing on these flinty-hearted steps. Got the sandwiches you
promised?"

Elinor showed a neat parcel tucked under her muff-arm. "Chicken and
lettuce," she said delectably. "White grapes for dessert. Have you
seen Margaret Howes and Griffin?"

Patricia nodded as she held the door wide for Elinor. "Griffin said
she'd be ready for us, and Margaret Howes is coming straight down from
composition class."

Elinor glanced at them as she went in. "You two look remarkably
hilarious," she said casually. "Is it the spring in the air or the
prospect of a festive lunch that so illuminates you?"

"Both and more too," laughed Patricia. "We've got a surprise for you,
Norn, but we won't tell till we've had lunch; will we, Ju?"

"Not till the very last crumb is done for," declared Judith,
emphatically, putting down her parcels on the dressing-room couch.
"You may not like it very much, Elinor----"

"Nonsense! Don't put such ideas in her head," cried Patricia stabbing
her hat-pins into her hat to secure it on the hanger. "Of course,
she'll be sorry for part of it, but right is right, and justice ought
to be done. But there, I'll blab it all myself if I don't look out.
Hurry up, Judy, let's get the cocoa stewing while Elinor prinks."

They had the table arranged in gala array, and the cocoa steaming in
its receptacle, before Elinor and Margaret Howes joined them.

"Griffin says not to wait--she's got to finish stretching a canvas,"
Margaret Howes told them, but Patricia and Judith would not hear to
beginning the little feast without the staunch and genial Griffin.

"There's no hurry, anyway," insisted Patricia. "The cocoa will keep
hot on the corner of the stove and the rest of the things don't matter.
You girls haven't any classes this afternoon, so we have an eternity to
feed in."

They loitered about the room, chatting at various tables, and were
taken by surprise a