situation. Vainly the girls grappled with the problem, to end
by looking at each other despairingly.

When Elaine stepped off the train at eleven o'clock she was immediately
conscious of missing something in her welcome. It was not that Peggy did
not seem glad to see her, for the steadfast eyes that met her own were
beaming with affection. Priscilla too was unusually cordial. And yet
Elaine missed something, the spontaneous overflowing of light hearts.

"What is it?" she asked, looking from one to the other, as the stage
driver went for her little trunk. "Is anybody ill? Is anything wrong?
Somehow you look--"

Peggy and Priscilla exchanged glances. Peggy laughed.

"We might as well tell her now as later. Perhaps when that's off our
minds, we'll be able to think of something else. You know, I wrote you
about the benefit we got up for Lucy Haines."

"Yes, I know."

"Well, we're going to give the little farce we learned for commencement
week. It happened that we four girls took all the principal parts but
one, and Claire Fendall agreed to take that. You were at one of our
rehearsals last spring, weren't you? Well, this was Adelaide's part."

"Yes, I remember. The girl who was always losing her temper over
things."

"Well, unluckily, Claire lost her temper over something, and went home
just an hour ago. And the play is for Tuesday night. We can't possibly
postpone it, because there is no way of getting word to the people. The
paper only comes out once a week. Did you ever hear of anything so
dreadful?"

Elaine was musing. "If I remember, it isn't such a very long part."

"Why, it isn't as long as Priscilla's or mine, but Adelaide is one of
the leading characters. She couldn't possibly be left out."

"I didn't mean that. I was only going to suggest--" Elaine hesitated,
with a little of her old-time shyness. "I was only going to say that if
you couldn't do any better, I'd take the part."

"Take the part?" Peggy looked at her friend in an amazement which
temporarily obscured her gratitude. "But we give the thing Tuesday
night."

"Yes, I know." Elaine smiled a little at the conflict of hope and
incredulity written on Peggy's expressive face. "But I really have a
very quick memory, Peggy, though I don't retain things as long as lots
of other people. And before I came to Friendly Terrace I took part in
school theatricals quite often. I can't promise to distinguish myself,
but I'm sure I can get through the part a