itated, undergoing again that subtle change that Patricia had
seen before.

"I think I'll wait till they're all in," she replied softly. "It will
be better for us all to be able to say truthfully that we had no idea
of what the others were like till after ours were in. Don't you think
so?"

"Of course it will," agreed Elinor heartily. "I'm glad you thought of
it. I'd much rather not know. Mine isn't finished yet, and I'm so new
at the work that I might be influenced."

"I thought about that," said Doris with veiled eyes on Elinor's pale
face. "I know how the same thought wave will pass through peoples'
minds when they're working together, and I feel that one should be very
careful not to influence another, particularly in a case like this."

"I'm not so sure that it makes a bit of difference," said Patricia
carelessly. "I've heard of people miles apart having the same idea at
the same time. Patents are always being duplicated, you know."

"Indeed they are!" cried Doris with singular fervor. "But the one who
gets the idea first is always the real inventor. The jury wouldn't
hesitate to decide on that, I'm positive, if anyone was so unfortunate
as to turn in a duplicate of any of the studies."

After she had said good-bye and they Were waiting at the curator's
desk, Elinor spoke musingly.

"I wonder," she said, wrinkling her brows, "if Doris Leighton was
afraid I'd garnish my panel with any of her ideas; she was so
unnaturally stirred up about it."

Patricia, with her mind wholly on her own absorbing business, gave
scant attention.

"She's rattled for fear she won't take the prize as usual," she said,
gayly. "I bet she opens her eyes when she sees yours, Norn. Hers may
be lots better done, but it simply can't be as lovely and as
_different_."

She pushed her bulky package carefully across the curator's counter,
with an eager request that it be tenderly treated, and that official
reassured her as to its entire safety by placing it at once in the
locked ante-room where the modeling competition studies were stored.

"When will the prizes be announced?" she asked breathlessly, as the
door clicked in its lock. "Shall we have to wait long?"

The curator smiled at her eagerness. "The library panel will be
announced at noon on Tuesday in the first antique room," he said. "And
the modeling class will be notified immediately before, while the class
is still in session."

Patricia shivered with excite