lifted a white face. "This was different," she said; "this was
something alive. Hark!"

They leaned forward, listening. Yes, there was a footstep outside,
muffled, stealthy. A board creaked. Something was breathing.

Gertrude and Berta looked at each other in quick challenge for mutual
courage. All the other rooms at that end of the building were vacant; the
long dark corridor stretched out its empty tunnel between them and
available help. What could four girls do?

"We can scream," said Bea.

"Lock the door--and the inner window--quick!" Gertrude flew to one, Berta
to the other. "Sara, take this Indian club. Now if it really
is--anything, scream. But don't run. Don't scatter. Scream--scream all
together. Ah!"

The footsteps were coming down the alleyway toward the door. Bea filled
her lungs, and opened her mouth in valiant preparation.

"Wee-wee-wee, bow-wow!" Two little paws scratched at the door.

Bea's breath issued in a feeble squeak, as she dropped neatly down upon
the floor and buried her face in her hands.

Berta swooped upon her. "The puppy!"

Gertrude felt herself freed from the encircling arms. She moistened her
lips. "I am sorry, Sara, about the other night. I am--sorry."

The pale little face upturned toward hers began to glow as if touched
with sunshine. "I was late because Prexie kept me. I should have
explained, but--but it hurt. I knew you were sorry."

Berta sat up as if jerked into position by a wire, and briskly brushed
the hair out of her eyes.

"Listen, Bea," she whispered to a small pink ear half hidden by red
curls, "they're reconciled."

"So are we," said Bea, "please open the door for the puppy."

CHAPTER VIII

CLASSES IN MANNERS

Gertrude's brother paid another visit to his sister at Class Day. At
least, he was supposed to be visiting his sister, but it was really Bea
who took charge of him during all that radiant June morning while
Gertrude, as chairman of the Daisy Chain committee, was busy with her
score of workers among the tubs of long-stemmed daisies in a cool
basement room. Bea had immediately enrolled the young man as her first
assistant in the arduous task of gathering armfuls of the starry flowers
in the field beyond the dormitories.

After that labor was finished, and even Lila had deserted her for the
sake of an insensate trunk that demanded to be packed, Bea conducted her
companion to the lake. There through the golden hour of midday they
drifted in t