as
here the first year school opened, Marjorie?" asked Natalie.

"Yes, we used to call her Herr Shultz. Such a voice you never heard,
girls!"

"Well, this cousin's was exactly like Herr Shultz."

"Her clothes were the climax with me. I believe she must have been on
the stage sometime. Oh, yes, they were up-to-date enough, but, so sort
of--of--tawdry," criticised Juno.

"Do you know, she reminded me of somebody I know but who it is I just
can't think," and Peggy puckered her forehead into wrinkles.

"Oh!" cried Nelly, then stopped short.

"What's the matter? Sat on a pin?" asked Rosalie, laughing.

"Something made me jump," answered Nelly, pulling her skirt as though in
search of the pin Rosalie had suggested. Then in a moment she said:

"Reckon I'll go in, girls, I've got to send a note home by father and he
starts pretty soon."

"Why do they start at night?" asked Juno.

"Cooler traveling for the horses. They leave here about eight, travel
about nine miles an hour, for two hours, stop at ---- for the night,
start again at seven in the morning, and will reach Severndale by ten
o'clock at latest. It seems like a long trip, but that makes it an easy
one. Shelby will start tomorrow or next day. And won't all those horses
have the time of their lives! I am so glad that they're to be there,"
explained Peggy.

"So is mother, Peggy Stewart," cried Natalie.

Meanwhile Nelly had gone to her room. It was next Helen's and Lily's. On
beyond was Stella's sitting-room. Nelly roomed with a girl who had been
called home by illness in her family. Consequently Nelly now had the
room to herself. She wrote her note and then went to find Mrs. Vincent
to ask permission to run out to the stables to give it to her father.

As she passed Helen's and Lily's door she heard them whispering together
and also heard a deeper voice. Whose could it be? It was so unusual
that she paused a moment in the dimly lighted hall. She did not mean to
be an eavesdropper, but she thought all the girls from the west wing
were down on the terrace where she had left them that perfect May night.
They had gone out there immediately dinner ended, for study hour had
lately been held from five to seven on account of the warm evenings,
Mrs. Vincent objecting to the lights which made the house almost
suffocating.

Presently the deep-voiced whisper was heard again. Nelly started as
though from an electric shock. Had Helen's cousin returned, but when?
And th