me--a velvety voice rolled out in the darkness singing the words
of "A Maid in a Garden Green," a song a great singer had made popular
that season.

"It's Ada," whispered the school with a rustle of delight. "No one else
can sing like that."

They encored her heartily, and she responded. Then the lights flared up
and died down again for the last act.

"Constance got her to do it," whispered Betty to Bobby. "I heard Miss
Anderson telling Miss Sharpe. Ada's face is so scratched she couldn't, or
rather wouldn't, show herself, and Constance said why not sing in the
dark the way they do at the movies? That tickled Ada--who'd like to be a
movie actress, Connie says--and she said she would."

"Constance Howard has a way with her," remarked Bobby sagely. "Any one
that can persuade Ada Nansen to do anything nice is qualified to take a
diplomatic post in Thibet."

Soon after the play the weather turned colder and skating and coasting
became popular topics of conversation. There was not much ice-skating,
as a rule, in that section of the country, but snow was to be expected,
and more than one girl had secret aspirations to go from the top of the
hill back of the school as far as good fortune would take her.

"Coasting?" Ada Nansen had sniffed when the subject was mentioned to her.
"Why, that's for children! Girls of our ages don't go coasting. Now at
home, my brother has an ice-boat--that's real sport."

"Well, Ada, I suppose you think I'm old enough to be your grandmother,"
said Miss Anderson, laughing. "I wonder what you'll say when I tell you
that I still enjoy a good coast? If you girls who think you are too old
to play in the snow would only get outdoors more you wouldn't complain of
so many headaches."

But Ada refused to be mollified, and she remained indifferent to the
shrieks of delight that greeted the first powdering of snow. Thanksgiving
morning saw the first flakes.

The holiday was happily celebrated at Shadyside, very few of the girls
going home. Mrs. Eustice preferred to add the time to the Christmas
vacation, and the girls had found that this plan added to their
enjoyment. Aunt Nancy and her assistants fairly outdid themselves on the
dinner, and that alone would have made the day memorable for those with
good appetites, and where is the school girl who does not like to eat?

The Dramatic Club gave another play to which the Salsette boys were
invited as a special treat, and a little dance followed the pl