," reproached Frances.

"I do intend before the end,
This happy couple shall meet again,"

chanted Elfreda as she peered into the lemonade pitcher.

"Precisely," laughed Frances. "Did you play 'Needle's eye' when you were
a little girl, Elfreda?"

"Yes, and 'London Bridge' and 'King William was King James's son,' too.
I always loved to play, but was hardly ever chosen because I was so fat
and ungainly. I remember once, though, when I went to a children's party
in a pale blue silk dress that made me look like a young mountain. I
thought myself superlatively beautiful, however, and the rest of the
little girls were so impressed that I was a great social triumph, and
made up for the times when I had been passed by," concluded Elfreda
humorously.

"Your adventures are worthy of recording and publishing," said Anne
lightly. "Write a book and call it 'The Astonishing Adventures of
Elfreda'."

The stout girl eyed Anne reflectively, the lemon squeezer poised in one
hand. "That's a good idea," she said coolly. "I'll do it when I come
back next fall. Now I'm not going to say another word until I finish
this lemonade, so don't speak to me." When she left the room for ice
water, Mabel Ashe observed warmly, "She is a credit to 19--, isn't she?"

"Yes," returned Grace. "They are beginning to find it out, too."

"Your sophomore days have been peaceful, compared with last year,"
remarked Frances Marlton. "Certain girls have kept strictly in the
background."

"We have not been obliged to resort to ghost parties this year,"
reminded Mabel Ashe. "It requires ghosts to lay ghosts, you know."

Grace could have remarked with truth that certain ghosts had not been
laid as effectually as she desired, but wisely keeping her own counsel
she was about to essay a change of subject when the return of Elfreda
with the lemonade served her purpose.

"'How can I bear to leave thee?'" quoted Mabel sentimentally, as she and
Frances reluctantly rose to go half an hour later. "I hope you feel
properly flattered. Graduates' attentions are at a premium this week.
They ought to be, too, when one stops to think that it takes four years
to reach that dizzy height of popularity. Four long years of slavish
toil, my children. Observe my careworn air, my rapidly graying locks, my
deeply-lined countenance."

"Yes, observe them," grinned Elfreda. "You look younger than Anne, and
she looks like a mere chee--ild. Don't forget that you are goin