Dance of the Academy about her, omitting no gruesome detail that would
be calculated to affright the dismayed beholder, chanting and groaning
horribly the while.

At a sign from the leader the dance stopped as suddenly as it had
begun, and the leader once more approached Elinor, followed by four of
the foremost ghosts.

They mounted the platform and, seating Elinor in the chair, filed
before her, presenting one after another a grisly hand and cadaverous
cheek for her salute.

"The horrid things!" murmured Patricia to herself, with her wrath
beginning to rise. "I'd pinch their noses for them if they made me
kiss them! Elinor's too gentle with them. I wonder why she doesn't
pull the string? She could reach it easily now."

But Elinor, far from showing rancor, shook the bony hands and kissed
the sunken cheeks with as good grace as though she were receiving her
dearest friends. She even made some little speech to each, though
Patricia was too far away to catch more than a word or two.

Her sweetness of temper, nevertheless, did not seem to appease the
ghosts, for, when the ceremony of salutation was finished, the four
seated themselves cross-legged on either side of her, while the leader
proceeded to catechize her.

"What is your name?" she asked, in a high, squeaking voice that
Patricia failed to recognize.

Elinor responded promptly.

"Where do you live?" was the next question, to which Elinor again
replied good-naturedly.

"Pooh! they're as stupid as the rest," thought Patricia contemptuously,
and she let her attention wander, studying the various ghosts, making
mental notes as to height and size for future reference.

She was brought back to the center of interest by a sharp hiss from a
ghost on the edge of the assembly and a muffled cry of "No fair!" from
another nearer the stand.

The leader raised a grisly hand and swept the assembly with her
cavernous eye sockets.

"I repeat," she piped, turning to Elinor with a jerky bow, "I repeat my
question. Why were you admitted to our class without having worked in
any antique or life classes before?"

"Oh, that's too personal," said a ghost in a disgusted tone. "I
protest! This isn't a Board meeting."

There was a general murmur of laughter at this, but the leader stood
rigid, awaiting Elinor's reply.

"I have told anyone who asked me," said Elinor, evenly, though her
cheeks were beginning to burn. "I came in on Bruce Haydon's
recommendation."