not present. "You promised to go for her, didn't you, Anne?"

"I did go," replied Anne, "but she wouldn't come. She said she'd come
sometime when she felt like it. She was playing on the violin when the
maid let me in, and how she can play! She wanted me to stay there with
her and didn't seem to understand why I couldn't break my engagement
with you girls. She said that she always kept her engagements unless the
spirit moved her to do something else."

"Is Eleanor Savell the girl who comes into the study hall every morning
after opening exercises have begun?" asked Marian Barber.

"Yes," Grace answered. "I forgot for a moment that you and Eva and
Miriam hadn't met her. She is really very charming, although her ideas
about punctuality and school rules are somewhat hazy as yet. She lives
at 'Heartsease,' Mrs. Gray's property. I am disappointed because she
will not be here to-night. She seemed delighted when I asked her to join
our society."

"As long as we know she isn't coming, don't you think we should begin
the initiation?" asked Nora. "It is after eight o'clock and we can't
stay out too late, you know."

"Very well," said Grace. "Blindfold the candidates."

The three girls meekly submitted to the blindfolding, and the chums were
about to lead them to the initiation chamber, when the ringing of the
door bell caused them to start.

"It's David and the boys," said Jessica. "Shall I tell them that they
can't come in?"

"Of course," responded Nora. "You and Grace go to the door, while Anne
and I stay here with our victims. Be careful they don't play you a
trick."

The two girls cautiously approached the door, opening it very slowly,
and saw--not the three boys--but Eleanor. She smiled serenely and said:
"Good evening. I decided, after all, that I would come."

"Come right in," said Jessica cordially. "I am so glad you changed your
mind and came. The initiation is about to begin. Have you ever belonged
to a secret society?"

"Never," replied Eleanor. "But now that I'm here, I am willing to try
it."

"Come this way."

"Girls," said Grace, addressing the three blindfolded girls, "this is
Eleanor Savell. You can't see her yet, but you may all shake hands with
her. She is to be your companion in misery."

Eleanor laughed, shook hands with the others and graciously allowed Nora
to tie a handkerchief over her eyes.

"All ready! March!" called Grace, and the eight girls solemnly proceeded
to the initiation cha