ing, were they?"

Blue Bonnet started. Mary had come so close to the truth that it brought
the color to her cheeks.

"Oh, I just wager they were! Look how she's blushing."

Carita was indignant.

"The very idea, Mary. What's Blue Bonnet done? You are the worst--"

"I know what's the matter with Blue Bonnet," Peggy Austin said. "She's
_scared_ pink! She had better be, too. She's going to be initiated into
the Lambs to-night. They won't do a thing to her! Why, when they took
Angela Dare in, she had hysterics. They had to get a doctor for her. It
nearly broke up their club. Miss North said it came near ending
sororities for all time in the school."

"Oh, pooh," Mary scoffed. "Angela has no business in one anyhow. She's
too emotional. One never knows what she's going to do. She has high
strikes over exams--and just anything. Angela's only half human. She's
like that Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe--or somebody who was so frail in
body--"

"Mrs. Stowe!" Blue Bonnet exclaimed.

"She means Mrs. Browning," Peggy said loftily. "English isn't Mary's
long suit."

"No, but I can add two and two," Mary returned sharply.

Peggy was as weak in mathematics as Mary was in English.

Blue Bonnet finished her visit with Carita and went back to her room.
She opened her desk and getting out an invitation looked it over
carefully. At the top of the note-paper reposed a tiny golden lamb, and
underneath, the letters A. O. O. L. formed a monogram in blue and gold.
A skull and cross-bones had been drawn in ink and a message followed:

"The presence of Miss Blue Bonnet Ashe is demanded at twelve
o'clock to-night, February the nineteenth, at number fifteen
Fifth Avenue: the said Miss Ashe to appear in a winding sheet,
noiseless shoes and a bath-robe. Miss Ashe has the privilege of
bringing refreshments with her if inclined; the committee
suggesting that they be in keeping with the shades of night:
skeleton salad, ghost sandwiches, assorted spooks or witches'
delight. A roasted hobgoblin will be served soon after the
meeting opens. Please be on time, and hold your honorable body
in readiness for this or any other sacrifice that may be
demanded by the Order.

"Fraternally yours,
"COMMITTEE ON INITIATION."

Blue Bonnet laughed as she folded up the invitation and put it back in
the desk. Her mind reverted to the time, a day or two back, when Sue
Hemphill had fastened a little enameled sp