assing, much liberty was permitted and that a
noise which did not interfere with study hours was not reprimanded.

"It's the overflow of natural spirits and inevitable in the young,"
was one of the Bishop's beliefs, and not even the Lady Principal
disputed his authority.

"Come on, Queenie, and be put through your paces!" cried Winifred,
throwing her arm around Dorothy's shoulders and forcibly racing her
out of doors and across the lawn toward the gymnasium.

But arrived there only one or two of the group attempted any exercise.
The rest settled around Dorothy, whom the athletic Winifred had tossed
upward upon the back of the wooden horse, and, with her arms folded
upon the newcomer's knees, this leader of the "Commons" proceeded to
cross-question her victim.

[Illustration: "PROCEEDED TO CROSS-QUESTION HER VICTIM." _Dorothy at
Oak Knowe._]

"It's the cast-iron rule of our set to find out everything about
anybody we receive into it. Begin at the date of your birth and
proceed in a seemly manner until you come up to date. Where were you
born? What sort of baby were you--good, bad, or indifferent? Begin!"

Entering into the spirit of the thing Dorothy gave her simple life
history in a few sentences. But when the questions came as to the
events of the last few days her face grew serious and her voice
faltered.

"Why did I come to Oak Knowe alone? Because there was nobody to come
with me. That is, Dinah or Ephraim, who might have come, couldn't be
trusted to go back alone. My dearest girl friend, Molly Breckenridge,
had been enrolled here and we expected to come together, but the
Judge's health suddenly broke down and he was ordered to California
and couldn't part with her. Uncle Seth wasn't well. He's my guardian
and Aunt Betty's friend. She's my great aunt who takes care of me but
she wouldn't leave Uncle Seth, even if he's not our kin at all, though
we call him so. Jim Barlow is tutoring in a boys' school and; well,
Aunt Betty said I could perfectly well and safely travel alone. I was
put into the conductor's care when I started from Baltimore and he
passed me along to the next one, and they've all been splendid to me.
There'd have been no mistakes if I hadn't been careless myself. But I
was. I missed a train I should have taken and didn't send the telegram
I ought at the right time and there was nobody at the station to meet
me and--and--"

"The idea! A girl like you, traveling all the way from Baltimore to