heir visitors, to judge by their behaviour,
had absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. St. Githa's had
undoubtedly covered itself with glory, and St. Elgiva's must not be
outdone. The Intermediates worked feverishly to finish their costumes.
Such an amount of borrowing and lending went on that it would be quite a
problem to sort out possessions afterwards. It was a point of etiquette
that anyone who had anything that would be useful to a neighbour's
get-up was bound in honour to offer the loan of it. Only the hostesses
were to be in costume; the guests were to appear in ordinary evening
dresses.

Marjorie, before the mirror in her bedroom, gazed critically at her own
reflection. Chrissie's clever fingers had pulled and twisted the
crinkled paper into the most becoming of peasant caps, the large bead
ear-rings, tied on with silk, jangled on to her neck, her paper sleeves
stood out like lawn, the lace-edged apron was a triumph of daintiness,
she wore Patricia's scarlet-kid dancing-slippers with Betty's black silk
stockings.

"Do you think I'll do?" she queried.

The Zouave officer threw herself on one knee in an attitude of ecstatic
admiration, and laid a hand upon her heart.

"Do? You're ravishing! I'm going to make love to you all the evening,
just for the sport of seeing the Acid Drop's face. Play up and flirt,
won't you?"

"You look a regular Don Juan!" chuckled Marjorie.

"That's my role this evening. I'm going to break hearts by the dozen. I
don't mind telling you that I mean to dance with Norty herself."

St. Elgiva's might certainly congratulate itself upon the success of its
efforts. The fancy costumes produced a sensation. All the Allies were
represented, as well as allegorical figures, such as Britannia, Justice,
Peace, and Plenty. It was marvellous how much had been accomplished with
the very scanty materials that the girls had had to work upon. The ball
was soon in full swing; mistresses and prefects joined in the fun, and
found themselves being whirled round by Neapolitan contadini or
picturesque Japs. The room, decorated with flags and big rosettes of
coloured paper, looked delightfully festive. Even Miss Norton, usually
the climax of dignity, thawed for the occasion, and accepted Betty's
invitation to a fox-trot without expressing any disapproval of the
Zouave uniform. Marjorie, after a vigorous half-hour of exercise, paused
panting near the platform, and refused further partners.

"I want