"What does she want?" Molly breathed to herself in the next room.

"But I won't tease you any longer, dearest. I only wanted to let you
know that I'm at the very bottom of the secret. I came to talk about
other things."

Molly breathed a long sigh.

"Here it comes," she thought.

Judy straightened up and prepared to hear the worst.

"Have the Shakespeareans and the Olla Podridas had their yearly conclave
yet about new members?"

"So it's that," Molly almost cried aloud, waving her arms over her
head.

"We meet on Saturday," answered Judy doggedly.

"You have a good deal of influence in that crowd, haven't you? I mean
you can command a lot of votes?"

"No, I can't command any," answered Judy.

"Blackmailer," thought Molly.

"I was thinking," went on Adele calmly, "that I would like to become a
member of one or both those clubs. If I have to make a choice I would
prefer the Shakespeareans, of course. Can't you fix it up?"

"I'm afraid not, Adele. I can't manage it. I doubt if I could command
any votes for you. You are mistaken about my influence."

"Oh yes, you can. Now, Judy, think a minute, I'm asking you a very
simple, ordinary favor. Think of what it means to me and--well, to you,
too. I might as well tell you right now that I'm a good friend but a bad
enemy. You promised me once to get me into one of those clubs. Do you
remember?"

"Yes," said Judy.

"Well, why this sudden change? I expect you to keep your word. I am wild
to be a member of the Shakespeareans," here Adele changed her manner and
her voice took on a soft, persuasive tone. "You won't regret it, Judy,
dearest, you'll be proud of having put me up. I have a real talent for
acting. I have, indeed, and I shall be able to get stunning costumes."

Judy twisted and squirmed and shrunk away like a bird being gradually
hypnotized by a serpent--at least so it seemed to Molly peeping through
a crack in the door.

"I tell you it will be impossible," Judy was saying, after a pause, when
Adele burst out with:

"Those are unlucky words, Judy Kean. I'll make you sorry you ever
spoke----" she stopped short off as Molly appeared in one door and Nance
in the other, followed by Otoyo, Margaret and Jessie and the Williams
sisters. Nance had evidently gone forth and gathered in the clan for
Judy's protection. Molly was almost sorry they had come. It had been a
good opportunity to say what had been seething in her mind for some
time, and, on the whol