ink about before long. It's high time Maiz and I took
a hand in things."

"What are you going to do?" Elsie sulkily demanded.

"You'll know when the time comes," was the brusque reply.

A reply that sent Elsie back to her room, sullenly wondering what Marian
was "up to" now. Strangely enough, Marian's vague threat awoke within
her a curious sense of uneasiness. She was not so keen for retaliation
now. She darkly surmised that Marian intended somehow to make trouble
for Judith Stearns and Norma about the last year's affair of the stolen
gown. Once she had been ready to believe Marian's assertion that Judith
had been guilty of theft. She was not nearly so ready now to believe it.

As for Norma! Elsie could still see Norma's sweet face, with its gentle
blue eyes pityingly bent on her. Marian might say all she pleased. Norma
Bennett was fine and honest to the core. She had always secretly admired
Norma for her wonderful talent. Now she admired Norma for herself. If
Marian undertook to injure Norma----Elsie set her thin lips in a
fashion denoting decision.

Mid-year came and went, however, with nothing to disturb the outward
serenity of Madison Hall. A brief season of jubilation followed the
trial of examinations. The new college term began with the usual flurry
accompanying the rearranging of recitation programs and getting settled
in classes. Basket-ball ardor was revived and practice resumed by the
freshman and sophomore teams, pending the second game to be played on
the third Saturday in February.

On the Monday evening before the game, Marian Seaton and Maizie Gilbert
held a private session with Mrs. Weatherbee. It lasted for half an hour
and when the two girls emerged from the matron's office, they left
behind them a most shocked and perplexed woman. The story which they had
related to her would have seemed preposterous, save that it touched upon
a private matter of her own that had of late vaguely annoyed her.

For some time after the two had left her office, she wrestled with the
difficulty which confronted her. Nor had she decided upon a course of
action when she retired that night. For two days she continued in doubt,
before she was able to make up her mind regarding the handling of the
troublesome problem.

After dinner on Wednesday evening she sent the maid upstairs with
certain instructions and promptly retired to her room.

"Mrs. Weatherbee wants to see us in _her room_?" marveled Judith,
addressing M