t it splendid," replied Martha.

"And Betty--what did you think of Betty?"

"Your cousin? She is very dramatic," said Martha.

"Yes, that is it," replied Fanny; "she is dramatic in everything. I
doubt if she is ever natural or her true self."

"Fanny!"

"Oh, dear old Martha, don't be so frightfully prim! I don't intend to
break Rule No. I. Of course I love Betty. As a matter of fact, I have
loved her before any of you set eyes on her. She is my very own cousin,
and but for father's strong influence would never have been at this
school at all. Still, I repeat that she is dramatic and hardly ever
herself."

"She puzzles me, I confess," said Martha, a little dubiously; "but
then," she added, "I can't help yielding to her charm."

"That is it," said Fanny--"her charm. But look down deep into your
heart, Martha, and tell me if you think her charm healthy."

"Well, I see nothing wrong about it." Then Martha became abruptly
silent.

"For instance," said Fanny, pressing a little closer to her companion,
"why ever did she make your special protege Sibyl Ray such a figure of
fun last night?"

"I thought Sibyl looked rather pretty."

"When she entered the room, Martha?"

"Oh no; she was quite hideous then, poor little thing! But Betty soon
put that all right; she had very deft fingers."

"I know," said Fanny. "But what I want to have explained is this: why
Betty, a girl who is more or less worshiped by half the girls in the
school, should trouble herself with such a very unimportant person as
Sibyl Ray, I want to know. Can you tell me?"

"Even if I could tell you, remembering Rule No. I., I don't think I
would," said Martha.

Fanny sat very still for a minute or two. Then she got up. "I don't
see," she remarked, "why Rule No. I. should make us unsociable each with
the other. The very object of our club is that we should have no
secrets, but should be quite open and above-board. Now, Martha West,
look me straight in the face!"

"I will, Fanny Crawford. What in the world are you accusing me of?"

"Of keeping something back from me which, as a member of the
Specialities, you have no right whatever to do."

A slow, heavy blush crept over Martha's face. She got up. "I am going to
look over my German lesson," she said. "Fraeulein will want me almost
immediately." Then she left Fanny, who stared after her retreating
figure.

"I will find out," thought Fanny, "what Martha is keeping to herself.
That little horror