Felicity might be rather jealous of the Story Girl's gift, but she
was furious at beholding "one of our family" made ridiculous in such a
fashion. "You have less sense than anyone I ever heard of, Sara Ray."

Poor Sara dissolved in tears.

"I didn't know. I thought she was stuck," she wailed again.

She cried all the way home, but we did not try to comfort her. We felt
quite out of patience with her. Even Cecily was seriously annoyed. This
second blunder of Sara's was too much even for her loyalty. We saw her
turn in at her own gate and go sobbing up her lane with no relenting.

The Story Girl was home before us, having fled from the schoolhouse as
soon as the programme was over. We tried to sympathize with her but she
would not be sympathized with.

"Please don't ever mention it to me again," she said, with compressed
lips. "I never want to be reminded of it. Oh, that little IDIOT!"

"She spoiled Peter's sermon last summer and now she's spoiled your
recitation," said Felicity. "I think it's time we gave up associating
with Sara Ray."

"Oh, don't be quite so hard on her," pleaded Cecily. "Think of the life
the poor child has to live at home. I know she'll cry all night."

"Oh, let's go to bed," growled Dan. "I'm good and ready for it. I've had
enough of school concerts."

CHAPTER XIX. BY WAY OF THE STARS

But for two of us the adventures of the night were not yet over. Silence
settled down over the old house--the eerie, whisperful, creeping silence
of night. Felix and Dan were already sound asleep; I was drifting near
the coast o' dreams when I was aroused by a light tap on the door.

"Bev, are you asleep?" came in the Story Girl's whisper.

"No, what is it?"

"S-s-h. Get up and dress and come out. I want you."

With a good deal of curiosity and some misgiving I obeyed. What was in
the wind now? Outside in the hall I found the Story Girl, with a candle
in her hand, and her hat and jacket.

"Where are you going?" I whispered in amazement.

"Hush. I've got to go to the school and you must come with me. I left my
coral necklace there. The clasp came loose and I was so afraid I'd lose
it that I took it off and put it in the bookcase. I was feeling so upset
when the concert was over that I forgot all about it."

The coral necklace was a very handsome one which had belonged to the
Story Girl's mother. She had never been permitted to wear it before, and
it had only been by dint of much coaxing that