ter her with a resounding bang, Miriam remarked
affectionately: "Elfreda is in her element. She loves to play hostess
and give tea parties."

"She is becoming one of the important girls in college, isn't she?"
observed Anne. "I was so glad to see her rushed by the Phi Beta Gammas."

"She was more moved than she would admit over being asked to join them,"
returned Miriam. "She used to make ridiculous remarks about them and
call them the P. B. Gammas, but in her heart she looked upon them with
positive awe. Wasn't it nice to think we were all asked?"

"I should say so," agreed Grace. "It would have been dreadful if one of
us had been left out." She patted her sorority pin with intense
satisfaction. "In spite of belonging to the most important sorority in
college, there never will be another sorority like the Phi Sigma Tau,
will there, girls?"

"No," said Miriam, smiling with a reminiscent tenderness at sound of the
familiar name.

"Dear old P. S. T.," murmured Anne. "How I wish we might call a meeting
now and have every member present."

"There is bound to be one vacant place when we gather home next week,"
said Grace a trifle sadly.

"The Lady Eleanor," sighed Miriam. "I hope we'll see her some time next
year."

The arrival of Elfreda, her arms filled with bundles, cut short Miriam's
reflections. One by one Elfreda calmly laid down her packages and began
preparations for her tissue paper tea. The stout girl's mood seemed to
have changed, however. She answered her companions' gay sallies rather
abstractedly, with the air of one whose thoughts were anywhere but on
her guests. Several times Grace glanced up to find Elfreda's eyes fixed
reflectively upon her.

When, at five o'clock, she announced her intention of going for a walk
before dinner, Elfreda gave her another peculiar look and announced her
intention of accompanying her. Anne and Miriam, who had elected to
occupy the time before dinner in writing to the Southards, declined
Grace's invitation, and as the two girls walked briskly down the street,
Elfreda breathed a deep sigh of relief. "With all due respect to Miriam
and Anne, I am glad they didn't join us," she said coolly.

"What is on your mind now?" asked Grace shrewdly.

"So you realize at last that there is something on my mind, do you!"
retorted Elfreda grimly. "I began to think you never could. I made all
kinds of signals to you with my eyes."

"I thought they were signals, but wasn't sure," sa