had to come to Washington. He's a Congressman now. I was sure that you
were from Kentucky, and I've been hoping that you were new girls for the
Hall ever since I heard you talking about some house-party where you all
did such funny things."

"Oh, yes, that was one we had this summer at The Beeches," began Kitty,
glibly, "when we all took turns--"

But, with a big-sister frown of warning, Allison said, in a low aside:
"For pity's sake, don't stop to tell all that long rigmarole over _now_.
We want to hear some more about the school."

"What is Madam Chartley herself like?" she asked, turning to Juliet.
"She must be something of an old dragon if she can keep forty girls
straight with so few rules. We've pictured her as a big British
matron, dignified and imposing,--a sort of lioness rampant, you know,
with a stern air, as if she was about to say in a deep voice,
'England--expects--every--man--to--do--his--duty,--sir!'"

"But she isn't that way at all!" cried Juliet, almost indignantly.
"She's just as American as you are, for she was born and educated in
this country. She has the gentlest voice and sweetest manner. Her hair
is snow-white, and there's something awfully aristocratic about her, for
she is--sort of--well, I hardly know how to express it, but just what
you'd expect the 'daughter of a hundred earls' to be, you know. But you
won't feel one bit in awe of her. The girls simply adore her."

"But isn't she something to be afraid of when you break the rules?"
queried Kitty, anxiously. "When you have midnight feasts and pillow-case
prowls and all that?"

Juliet shook her head. "We don't do those things. I tell you it isn't
like any other boarding-school you ever heard of."

"Then I know I sha'n't like it," declared Kitty. "All my life I've
looked forward to going off to school just for the jolly good times I'd
have. You see we were only day-pupils at Lloydsboro Seminary, and there
wasn't a chance for that kind of fun, except the one term when Lloyd and
Betty boarded in the school while their family was away from home. We
managed to stir up a little excitement then, and I'd hoped for all sorts
of thrilling adventures here. I'm horribly disappointed that it's so
tame and goody-goody."

Juliet's face coloured resentfully. "It isn't tame at all!" she
declared. "It's only that we are always so busy doing pleasant things
and going to interesting places that nobody cares for stolen spreads.
Some girls don't like th