da's expression was a mixture of surprise and relief.

"Then you are not disappointed in me," smiled the old lady.

"I should say not!" was the quick response. "I only hope you will adopt
me some day as one of your children."

"That is very sweet in you, my child," declared Mrs. Gray. "I hereby
adopt you on the spot. Ah, here is our car. I think we are more than
ready for it."

"Now that you've been adopted," muttered Miriam in Elfreda's ear, "I
won't betray you."

"Thank you for nothing," flung back Elfreda.

"Tell the chauffeur to drive past Overton College," Grace had requested
Tom, and Mrs. Gray had exclaimed in admiration of stately Overton Hall,
standing like a sentinel in the midst of the wide campus. The chapel,
the library, Greek Hall, Science Hall, in fact, each one of the smaller,
but equally ornamental, buildings were duly pointed out and commented
upon.

Mrs. Gray insisted that they should be her guests at dinner at the
"Tourraine," and after dinner they repaired to the cozy sitting room in
her suite of rooms for a long, confidential chat, which lasted until
after ten o'clock.

"Hurry, girls," urged Grace, as they set out for Wayne Hall, after
repeated promises to call the next morning and prolonged good nights,
"we may be locked out. That has never happened to me since I came to
college."

"That is better than being locked in," reminded Elfreda grimly.

"You mean the night of the ghost party, don't you?" asked Miriam,
referring to an incident that had occurred in Elfreda's freshman year.

"I do, indeed, mean the ghost party," retorted Elfreda with grim
emphasis. "I still have a remarkably clear recollection of it."

"What a lot of things have happened since then," said Anne, half
musingly.

"Only a little while and our college life will be over," sighed Miriam.

"And our real life begun," was Grace's hopeful reminder. "After all,
college is just a preparation for the time when we must stand upon our
own ground and assume the complete responsibility of our own lives."

"You girls give me the blues," grumbled Elfreda. "I don't want to think
about my 'real life' or any other solemn old subject. There's a time to
reflect, but this isn't the time. I'd rather save all my harrowing
reflections until just before commencement. Then we might give a misery
party and invite our friends to glower and gloom with us."

"That's a good idea!" exclaimed Grace. "We could all be miserable
together."

"If