it?" replied Jessica, smiling. "You inspired me."

Eleanor accompanied the four girls down the walk to the gate and
repeatedly invited them to come again.

"It's your turn to come and see us now," said Grace. "Do you think you
will go to school to-morrow, Eleanor? Miss Thompson dislikes having the
girls stay out."

"I can't help what Miss Thompson dislikes," returned Eleanor, laughing.
"What I dislike is of more importance to me. I dare say I shall go
to-morrow, providing I get up in time."

"What an irresponsible girl Eleanor is," remarked Anne, as they walked
along. "I am afraid we can't do much for her. She doesn't seem much
interested in school and I don't think she is particularly impressed
with our sorority."

"Anne," said Jessica, "you have seen Miss Nevin, her aunt. Tell us how
she looks."

"She is tall," replied Anne, "and has beautiful dark eyes. Her hair is
very white, but her face looks young, only she has the saddest
expression I ever saw on any one's face."

"I should think she would look sad after seventeen years of Eleanor's
whims," remarked Nora bluntly. "It would wear me out to be with her
continually, she is so changeable."

"Mrs. Gray told me," remarked Anne, "that Miss Nevin's life had been one
long sacrifice to the pleasure of others. First her father, then her
step-sister and now Eleanor. She was engaged to be married to a young
English officer, and he died of fever while stationed in India. So,
there is reason for her sad expression."

"I once read, somewhere," said Jessica sentimentally, "that ''Tis better
to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.'"

"Humph!" said Nora. "If I am ever foolish enough to fall in love,
I certainly don't want to lose the object of my devotion."

"You can't very well," said Grace slyly, "for from all present
indications I should say that he is too fat to get lost."

And Nora was obliged to explain elaborately to the laughing girls, all
the way home, that the object of her future devotion would not be a fat
man.

CHAPTER VII

THE CLAIM OF THE "ARTISTIC TEMPERAMENT"

When Eleanor returned to school the following morning, she found that
what Miss Thompson "disliked" was, after all, of considerable
importance. Directly after opening exercises the principal sent for her
and asked the reason for her absence of the day before. On finding that
Eleanor had no plausible excuse, but had absented herself merely because
she felt like it,