arning. That's really the great thing, isn't
it, after all?"

As she spoke a gong sounded from beyond the closed door of a nearby
class room; there was sound of movement and subdued voices, then the
door swung grudgingly and a number of students of various ages with
smudged hands and soiled aprons came straggling out into the dim
corridor, laden with canvases and drawings to be stowed in the long
line of lockers that stretched on either side of the hallway.

Elinor looked at them with a little quick sigh of excited envy.

"They are all so used to it," she said, with a note of humility in her
sweet voice. "They make me feel so _green_!"

"Poof! You needn't care," said Patricia, breezily. "If Bruce Haydon
says you can draw, you shouldn't mind a lot of sloppy students. Wait
till you've been here a month--you'll be rearing your crest as high as
any."

Elinor shook her head. "To tell the truth, Miss Pat dear, I almost
wish Bruce hadn't gotten me into the life and portrait classes without
the regular term in the antique rooms. I shouldn't feel half so
shivery about going in there and drawing from those big casts, for I
know they are all more or less beginners there."

"Stuff!" protested Patricia stoutly. "You know you've been simply
crazy to get here. Why spoil it all by _squibbling_? I think it's
perfectly gorgeous. I'm wild to begin myself, and I'm about as green
as any old shamrock. Besides, it's a mighty poor way to show your
gratitude to Bruce for putting you right slap into the highest classes
without slaving your life out for years, perhaps. I'll tell him----"

"Indeed, you'll do no such thing!" cried Elinor, the color rushing to
her cheeks and her authority as eldest sister asserting itself
promptly. "I don't intend that Bruce shall hear a word until I've had
my first good criticism."

Patricia smiled to herself at the effect of her ruse. "All right.
I'll be good," she promised. "Now, to come down to earth again--where
are we going to feed? I wish we could find the lunch room. It would
be such fun to look our future classmates over while we browse."

"I think it's in the basement," said Elinor dubiously, "but I don't
believe we can buy things there. We'd have to go out, anyway, I'm
afraid."

A blue-aproned girl who had been packing her materials in an adjoining
locker turned civilly.

"Are you speaking about the lunch room?" she asked in a pleasant
contralto voice. "I can show you wh