cklessly mischievous that morning.

"Why, of course his, name is 'O Be Joyful,'" she cried in gay, shrill
tones that carried the words straight to the ears of a rather
awkward-appearing boy coming toward them. "How could it be anything
else?"

The boy blushed hotly. For a moment it seemed as if he would stop and
speak; but the next minute he had turned away his face, and was passing
them hurriedly.

It was then that the unexpected happened. With a quick little impulsive
movement, Genevieve stepped to the new boy's side, and held out a
frankly cordial hand.

"How do you do, Mr. Oliver Holmes," she began breathlessly, but with
hurried determination. "I am Genevieve Hartley, and I'd like to welcome
you to our school. These are my friends: Cordelia Wilson, Alma Lane,
Bertha Brown, Elsie Martin, and Tilly Mack. We hope you'll soon get
acquainted and feel at home here," she finished, her face almost as
painful a red as was the boy's.

O. B. J. Holmes clutched Genevieve's hand, stammered a confused
something in response to the introductions, and flung a terrifiedly
uncertain bow in the direction of the wide-eyed girls; then he turned
and fled precipitately.

Behind him he left, for one brief minute, a dazed silence before Tilly
lifted her chin disagreeably and spoke.

"Well, dear me! For so _marked_ a bid for his favor, seems to me our
young friend doesn't show proper appreciation--to run away like that!"

Genevieve colored angrily.

"That was no bid for his favor, and you know it, Tilly Mack!"

"No?" teased Tilly, hatefully. "Well, I'm sure I should have thought it
was if a perfect stranger flung herself in my way like that."

"Tilly, Tilly--don't!" begged Cordelia, almost tearfully.

It was Genevieve's turn to lift a disdainful chin. She eyed Tilly
scornfully.

"Oh, no, you wouldn't--not if some other perfect stranger had just
called out a particularly hateful, horrid joke about something you were
not in the least to blame for! If you hadn't said what you did, I
shouldn't have said what I did, Tilly Mack. As it was, I--I just
couldn't help it; I was so sorry for him!"

"Oh, it was just being sorry, then! Oh, excuse me; I didn't know," cooed
Tilly, smoothly. "You see, it looked so--different!"

"Tilly!" gasped Cordelia. "Genevieve, don't you mind one bit what she
says!" But Genevieve, without a word, had turned and was walking swiftly
away.

"Well, Tilly Mack," chorused several indignant voices; and Elsie