rush forth from their houses to hear the truth about you. Ah, here is
the corner! Now, leave me at your peril."

"His mind is wandering," said Reddy sadly. "He imagines he is still
'Oakdale's Great Mystery.' We had better lead him home. I'll take his
left arm, and Nora----"

"Will take my right," interrupted Hippy. "Reddy, you may attend to your
own affairs, and keep your distance from my left arm. Jessica, please
look after Reddy. His mind is wandering. In fact, it always has
wandered. Crazy is as crazy does, you know."

"Yes, we know," flung back David significantly.

"Do you?" asked Hippy in apparent innocence. "I was so afraid you
didn't. To lose one's mind is a dreadful affliction, but not to know
that one is crazy is even worse. I am so relieved, David, Grace, Tom,
and all of you, that at last you know the truth concerning yourselves.
It is indeed a sad----"

A moment later the loquacious Hippy was hustled down the street by three
determined young people, while the other four turned their steps in the
opposite direction.

CHAPTER XIX

ARLINE'S PLAN

"It was beautiful to be at home, but it is nice to be here, too. If it
wasn't for mid year exams, I could be happy," sighed Grace Harlowe, as
she rearranged three new sofa pillows she had brought from home, the
gifts of Oakdale friends. Grace and Anne had invited Arline Thayer and
Ruth Denton to dinner, and Miriam and Elfreda had dropped in for a brief
chat before the dinner bell rang.

"We'll all survive even mid year," predicted Miriam confidently.

"We had a perfectly lovely time in New York, didn't we, Arline?" asked
Ruth Denton, looking at the little curly-haired girl with fond eyes.

Arline nodded. "I wish our vacation had been two weeks longer," she
remarked wistfully. "I just begin to get acquainted with Father, when it
is time to go back to college again. Have you seen many of the girls?"

"Only the Morton House girls and you," answered Arline. "This is the
first call I've made outside the house. Are all the Wayne Hall girls
here?"

"Miss Taylor hasn't come back yet," said Elfreda. "Do you girls happen
to know where she spent her vacation?"

"No," said Grace. "I didn't see her before I left. When first she came
to Wayne Hall she seemed to like me. At the sophomore reception I hurt
her feelings, unintentionally you may be sure. I am afraid she has never
forgiven me, for since then she has avoided me."

"She must have very sensitive fe