like hers, and so does the paper. She was
very indignant over it and sent me back in the carriage, telling the
coachman to return for her, for of course she will be here to-night.
I would have arrived much later if I had been obliged to walk. I ran
almost all the way up there. You know Chapel Hill is quite a distance
from my house."

"I should say so," replied Grace. "Who could have been so mean? Anne,
why do you suppose----" Grace stopped suddenly and stared at Anne. "Anne
do you think that Eleanor could have written it?" she said slowly, as
though reluctant to give voice to her suspicion.

"I am afraid so," replied Anne. "She is the only one who could profit by
my being late. Yet if she did write the note, she should have realized
that going to Mrs. Gray's would scarcely keep me away long enough to
miss my first entrance. You know I don't come on until the second
scene."

"There is something more behind this," said Grace, "and I'm going to
find out, too." She darted to the door and opened it upon Nora and
Jessica, who were on the threshold.

"We can't find them," they cried in alarm, "but we told Miss Tebbs and
she'll be here in a minute."

"We didn't say a word to any one else," said Nora, "because they must be
somewhere about, and there is no use in stirring up a lot of unnecessary
excitement."

"Wise little Nora," said Grace, patting her on the shoulder. "Here comes
Miss Tebbs now." She stepped courteously aside to allow the teacher to
enter the dressing room, then, following her, closed the door.

"What is this I hear about losing your costumes, Anne?" asked Miss Tebbs
rather impatiently. "I cautioned the girls last night about taking care
of their things."

Anne flushed at the teacher's curt tones.

"I put them all in that corner, plainly marked, before I left here last
night," she answered. "When I came here to-night they were gone."

"That is strange," said the elder woman. "Have you made a thorough
search for them in the other room?"

"We've gone over every inch of the ground," exclaimed Jessica, "and we
can't find a trace of them. We didn't ask any of the girls about them,
because if we couldn't find them we feel sure the others couldn't. So we
just kept quiet."

"I don't know what is to be done, I'm sure," said Miss Tebbs in an
anxious tone. "It is eight o'clock now and the curtain is supposed to
run up at 8.15. I can hold it until 8.30, but no longer. The house is
already well filled. You m