ould hate to," she added, apologetically.

Evelyn threw up her hands in desperation.

"You're just as bad as Jessie, Lucy," she accused. "I'm going in and see
if I can't find peace. The boys ought to be up by this time," she added,
slyly.

The girls laughed as the door slammed behind her, and Lucile exclaimed,
with a little flourish of her comb, "Come on, Jess; I'm ready for the
fray." And, with arms about each other, girl fashion, they followed
Evelyn into the aisle.

How could they know on that morning, when their hearts were full and
their heads light with the heady wine of Spring, that before three months
had sped, they would feel the strands of the mighty web of nations
tighten about them; that they would see the beginning of the greatest war
the world has ever known? Perhaps it was just as well that they were not
gifted with prophecy, for the grim shadow of war that hung menacingly
over all Europe would have darkened this bright morning and would have
tinted all the hills and countryside with the grayish hue of impending
disaster.

As it was, there was no cloud to darken the horizon of their exuberant
happiness and they gave full rein to their high spirits.

As Evelyn had said, the boys were up when they returned, and they were
not the only ones, for the train seemed suddenly to have come to life.
Voices called merrily to each other from different points in the car, and
everywhere was the stir and bustle of awakened and refreshed humanity.

As Lucile and Jessie made their way through the car, they encountered
several women, apparently bound for the dressing-room.

"It's good we got there early," said Lucile. "If we hadn't, we never
would have gotten a chance at the mirror."

"You're just right," laughed Jessie. "There wasn't room enough for three
of us, let alone a half a dozen."

A moment later they joined a group of their own folks at the other end of
the car. They flung a merry greeting.

"Well, well, girls," observed Mr. Payton, catching sight of the girls out
of the corner of his eye, "we thought you were lost."

"I didn't think so," said Phil. "Evelyn said you might be in there half
an hour if you had good luck, so we didn't expect you so soon."

The girls threw a reproachful look at the traitress, who made a defiant
little mouth at them.

"Well, I had to get even with you some way," she cried.

Just then Jack, who had been trapped into a discussion with some of the
men and had been anxious