ig for every mother's
daughter of you," and with this terrifying threat he strode off down the
corridor.

Just then three bells struck in the tower and at the second stroke the
nine-thirty gun boomed out its welcome "Release."

As the sound died away Mrs. Harold walked over to the big window calling
to the girls to join her.

"Stand here a moment," she said, then going over to the electric switch
turned off all the lights.

"Why? What?" cried all the girls excepting Peggy and Polly.

"Look at the windows on the third deck of Bancroft, southwest corner,"
she said, unhooking a drop light from above her desk and crossing the
room to the puzzled girls. "Those are Durand's and Bert's rooms. Next to
them are Gordon's and Doug's. Watch closely."

Presently from two of the windows lights were flashed three times in
rapid succession. Then absolute darkness.

Instantly Mrs. Harold turned the reflector of her drop light toward the
academy in such a way that the light would be cast out across the
night, then by turning the key on and off quickly she flashed its rays
three times, paused a moment, then repeated the signal.

Instantly from the rooms mentioned came the answering flashes, which
after a brief interval were repeated, Mrs. Harold again giving her
reply.

"Oh, who does it? What is it for? What do they mean?" asked her
visitors.

"Just our usual good-night message to each other. My boys are all dear to
me, but Durand and Gordon peculiarly so. Those rooms are theirs. Shall I
tell you the message the flashes carry? It is just a little honor code.
I want the boys to stand well this term, but, like most boys they are
always ready for skylarking, and the work from seven-thirty to
nine-thirty is easily side-tracked. So we have agreed to exchange a
message at gunfire if 'all is well.' If they have been boning tomorrow's
work my flash light is answered; if not--well, I see no answering
flash."

"Do you think they always live up to the agreement?" asked Rosalie.

"I have faith to believe they do. Isn't it always better to believe a
person honest until we prove him a thief, than to go the other way about
it? Besides, they carry the Talisman."

"What is it--Little Mother?" asked Juno, to the surprise of the others,
slipping to Mrs. Harold's side and placing her arm about her.

"Would you really like to know, dear? Suppose we throw on a fresh log
and leave the lights turned off. Then we'll have a confidential ten
minu