ed Grace, her gray eyes
shining. "I know I am always dragging you into things, and making you
help me for friendship's sake."

"But they are always the right sort of things," retorted Elfreda, with
an affectionate loyalty.

"Let us atone for our defection by making ourselves useful," proposed
Anne, picking up paper and pencil from the writing table. "I'll write
the names of those eligible to the surprise party if you'll supply
them."

After considerable discussion, erasing, crossing out and re-establishing
the list of names was finally declared to be satisfactory.

"Is there any particular friend of either of these girls that we have
forgotten to include?" asked Anne, as she carefully scanned the list.

"What of Kathleen West?" asked Elfreda.

Grace shook her head. "I believe it would be better not to ask her," she
said. "She wouldn't come; besides, she might--" Grace stopped. She had
been tempted to say that Kathleen would be likely to tell tales and
spoil the surprise.

"I know what you were going to say. You believe she would tell Alberta
our plans and spoil the party," was Elfreda's blunt comment. "Well, so
do I believe it. Any one can see that."

Grace smiled at Elfreda's emphatic statement.

"It is wiser not to ask her," she said again. "There are four of us, and
we can count on Arline and Ruth; that leaves twenty-four girls to be
invited. Divided, that is six girls to each one of us. You must each
choose the six girls you will agree to see and make it your business to
invite them to the party. Try to make them promise to come, for we don't
want to change the list."

"What are we going to have to eat?" asked Elfreda. "That is an extremely
important feature of any jollification. I always think of things to eat,
even though I don't eat them. Just thinking of them can't make one
stout, and it is a world of satisfaction."

"We had better have different kinds of sandwiches, olives and pickles,
and what else?" asked Grace.

"Ice cream and cake. We might have salted nuts and lemonade, too," added
Miriam.

"It sounds good to me," averred Elfreda, relapsing into slang. "But
don't rely on the girls to bring this stuff. Assess them fifty cents
apiece with the understanding that another tax will be levied if
necessary."

"That is sound advice," laughed Miriam, "but it means that the duty of
making of the sandwiches must fall upon us."

"I guess I can stand it," nodded Elfreda with a sudden generosity. "I'l