it, only wait. We shall, no
doubt, prove this Mrs. Weatherbee to be the g-r-rand villain."

Adrienne's roll of r's, coupled with her surmise as to the disagreeable
matron's villainy, provoked instant mirth.

Downhearted as she was, Judith could not refrain from giggling a little
as her quick imagination visualized in stately, white-haired Mrs.
Weatherbee the approved stage villain.

"We'll just have to wait and see," declared placid Ethel. "It's after
two now. Let's take a bus into Chesterford and see the sights until
train time. We'll be on pins and needles every minute if we sit around
here."

"I'm going without a hat. I just can't bear to go back to my room for
one. I guess you know why," shrugged Judith.

"It is the great shame," sympathized Adrienne. "I am indeed sad that our
Dorothy has not returned. She could perhaps learn from Mrs. Weatherbee
what we cannot."

"I wish Dorothy _were_ here," sighed Judith. "A lot of the girls haven't
come back yet. I thought I'd be late, but I'm here early after all. Too
bad Norma couldn't come on from New York with you."

"It was most sad." Adrienne rolled her big black eyes. "She has yet one
more week with the stock company. _La petite_ has done well. She has
received many excellent notices. Next summer she will no doubt be the
leading woman. She has the heaven-sent talent, even as _ma mere_."

"Alicia Reynolds is back," announced Judith. "I met her coming in with
her luggage about an hour ago. She was awfully cordial to me. That means
she's still of the same mind as when she left Wellington last June.
She's really a very nice girl. I only hope she stays away from Marian
Seaton."

"Neither Marian nor Maizie Gilbert have come back yet. I wish they'd stay
away," came vengefully from Ethel. "With Alicia and Edith Hammond both
on their good behavior Madison Hall would get along swimmingly without
those two disturbers."

"They'll probably keep to themselves this year," commented Judith
grimly. "It's pretty well known here how badly they treated Jane last
year and how splendidly she carried herself through it all."

"Oh, the old girls at the Hall won't bother with them, but some of the
new girls may," Ethel remarked. "We're to have several new ones."

"There'll be one less new girl if I have anything to say about it,"
vowed Judith. "If there's been any unfairness done, little Judy will
take a prompt hike over to see Miss Rutledge."

"Jane wouldn't like that," demurred