he idol of the college had been one of
her most secret and hitherto hopeless desires. Now, in the sophomore
class she had found girls who really appreciated her, and who were ready
to say pleasant things to her rather than lecture her. She was glad,
now, that she had dropped Grace and her friends in time, and resolved
next year that she would put the width of the campus between herself and
Wayne Hall.

As she slipped on her long blue serge coat that night--the air was
chilly, though the day had been warm--a flush of triumph mounted to her
cheeks. Then glancing at the clock she hurriedly adjusted her hat. Her
appointment was for half-past seven. Alberta said the party was to be in
honor of her and she must not keep her friends waiting. She looked
sharply about her to see who was in sight. She had been pledged to
secrecy. Alberta had said they would return before half-past ten, so
there would be no need of asking Mrs. Elwood to leave the door unlocked
for her. Then she walked briskly down the steps and up the street.

Fifteen minutes before she left the house, three dark figures had
marched out single file down the street. Two blocks from the house they
had been met by a delegation of dark figures, and without a word being
spoken, the little party had taken a side street that led to Overton
Drive, a public highway that wound straight through the town out into
the country. The company had proceeded in absolute silence, and finally
leaving the road had turned into the fields and plodded steadily on. It
was the new of the moon and the landscape was shrouded in heavy shadows.
On and still on the silent procession had traveled, and when their eyes,
now accustomed to the darkness, had espied the outlines of a
tumble-down, one-story house that stood out against the blackness of the
night a halt had been made and each dark figure had taken from under her
arm a bundle. Then the faint rustle of paper accompanied by an
occasional giggle or a smothered exclamation had been heard, and last
but most remarkable, the dark figures had given place to a company of
sheeted ghosts who had glided over the fields with true ghost-like mien
and disappeared in a little grove just off the highway.

In the meantime, Elfreda had been received with acclamation by the
treacherous sophomores, who vied with each other as to who should be her
escort. There were nine girls, and each of them also bore a bundle,
which contained not sheets, but the eatables