athered in Sixty-two. During the winter and
spring terms, this room had been the general gathering place; for Hester
and Helen were popular with the other students.

"I wish I might finish about the play," cried Erma. "Those miserable
little freshmen thought they had our play. Yes, I know you took a copy
from my study-table drawer. It was one I put in there for you to take.
While you were busy learning that, we had another. So while you girls
were gloating over the 'East Indian Queen,' we went on in peace and
practised 'A Roumanian Princess.'"

"Really? Erma Thomas, do you mean it?"

"Do I mean it? I surely do. Oh, wasn't it fun to hear you practise and
see you slip about with your mysterious airs!"

The door opened and Renee came in. She was robed in a full-length
kimona.

"You girls sitting here doing nothing! I am packing. I do not intend
letting it go until morning and then hurrying. My trunk is locked and I
cannot find the keys. Will you lend me yours, Helen?"

Helen arose to get them from a drawer. Emma sighed as she looked at
Renee.

"When I go to heaven," she said, "and meet Renee there, I know what she
will say to me the very first thing."

The girls looked their queries and Emma concluded, "'Emma, please lend
me your crown. I've mislaid mine.'"

"And Emma will be finding fault with everything. She'll feel dreadful
because she is forced to be in heaven all the time," said Sara slowly.
This was a hit direct at the little Dutch doll, for all through the
year she had been complaining at the restrictions of school, and could
not understand why Doctor Weldon did not allow the girls to go down to
the city when they pleased.

During this conversation, Mame Cross had been sitting apart. Now
Josephine turned to her, and assuming an attitude and expression of
great solicitation and interest said, "Mame is the only one who feels
what this evening means to us. Perhaps never again shall we talk
together. No one knows what the summer will bring. Mame is overcome by
the thought--."

"I am not. I was not thinking of that at all," Mame replied. "It came to
me while the girls were talking of the banquet and play and commencement
that I was almost glad that we were not having any of them."

"Mame Cross, what heresy! The flood has made her mad," cried the girls.

"I have reasons for thinking so. I simply could not have gone to one
thing. What could I have worn if I had gone? I made up my mind when we
had our last