? It's
just been decided, and I suppose you haven't seen her yet. It's to take
place to-morrow night. Won't it be beautiful?"

"What fun!" cried Molly. "What a wonderful sight!"

"Now, Molly, you are to wrap up very warm," continued Mary, "no matter
what kind of a costume you decide to wear. No cheesecloth Liberty
masquerades will go, remember."

"Oh, but I can't be in the carnival. I haven't any skates," said Molly.

"I have another pair," answered Mary quickly. "I'll bring them over to
you later."

Molly never guessed that this loving friend skated straight down to the
village that very instant and bought a pair of skates screwed onto stout
shoes at the general store. Tossing away the wrapping paper and smearing
the shoes with snow and ashes to take off the new look, she delivered
them at Queen's before supper.

"It's lucky I knew what number Molly wore," she said to herself, as she
sailed up the campus on her Canadian skates, with strokes as sweepingly
broad and generous as her own fine nature.

CHAPTER XII.

The Skating Carnival.

All fears of a thaw on the heels of this unprecedented cold wave were
put to flight next morning. The thermometer hovered at four degrees
above zero and the air was dry and sparkling. Only those who remained
indoors and lingered over the registers felt the cold.

There was a great deal to be done before evening. Costumes had to be
devised, bonfires built along the lake and at intervals on the links,
lanterns hung everywhere possible and, lastly, a quick rehearsal. The
best skaters were chosen to give exhibitions of fancy skating; there
were to be several races and a grand march.

Molly learned the night before that a sense of balance having once been
acquired is never lost. After supper she had ventured out on the campus
with Judy and Nance, who were both excellent skaters. With a grace that
was peculiarly her own in spite of the first unsteadiness, Molly had
been able to skate to the Quadrangle. There, removing her skating shoes,
and putting on slippers, she had skipped upstairs to thank Mary Stewart
for her kindness. The return to Queen's over the campus had been even
easier, and next morning she felt that she could enter the carnival.

Nobody had a chance to talk about costumes until after lunch on
Saturday, when there was a meeting of the three friends to decide.

"I don't see how I can go. I haven't a thing picturesque," exclaimed
Nance dejectedly.

"Now, Nan