ule and creeping out
into the hall after lights were out. This would prevent any attempt on
the part of jokers to surreptitiously confiscate the fruits of their
industry.

Marjorie was confronted by a considerably harder problem. She had a
basket to hang which was destined to grace a door quite outside of the
Hall. She had purchased a particularly beautiful little willow basket.
Through its open work she had run pale violet satin ribbon. A huge bow
and long streamers of wider ribbon decorated the handle. The basket was
to be filled with long-stemmed single violets which grew in profusion at
the north end of the campus. To the curious questions of her chums
regarding the lucky recipient of the basket, she merely replied with a
laughing shake of her head, "Maybe I'll tell you someday."

When the first pale stars of May-day evening appeared, Marjorie took her
violet basket and promptly disappeared. Wearing a plain blue serge coat,
a dark sports hat pulled well down over her curls, she crossed the
campus at a gentle run and hurried through the west entrance to the
highway. Her flower tribute she had covered with a wide black silk
scarf. Along the road toward Hamilton Estates she sped, keeping well out
of the way of passing automobiles. Onward she went until she reached the
gates of Hamilton Arms. She drew a soft breath of satisfaction as she
saw that they stood open. She had noticed they were always a little ajar
in the day time. She had feared that they might be closed at night.

Seized by a sudden spasm of timidity, she stood still for an instant,
listening and peering ahead into the shadows. Then with a gurgling
laugh, indicative of her pleasure in the secret expedition, she passed
into the grounds and ran noiselessly toward the house at her best speed.

One thing was certain, she told herself, as her feet touched the bottom
step of the front veranda, if her presence were discovered there would
be no disgrace attached to the apprehension. Her heart was thumping out
a lively tattoo however, as she stole up to the heavy double doors and
felt for the knocker. There was a light in the hall and in the room at
the left of it. Miss Susanna was surely at home. Her hand closing at
last upon the object of her search, she stooped and carefully set her
basket on the stone threshold. Applying her young strength to the
knocker, she waited only to hear it sound inside, then darted for the
drive. While she dared not stop to look back