r it. I'd like to be your
friend--if you'd let me, after the way I've treated you."

Nan kissed her again. "Never mind that now. We'll begin all over, and
I guess I can behave a little better myself. Now go to sleep and get a
good nap before it's time to go home."

CHAPTER XVII

CONSEQUENCES

As soon as she saw that Mary had fallen soundly asleep Nan rose and
slipped noiselessly down stairs. She had no trouble in finding the
supper-room, for she had only to follow the echoing sounds to be led
directly to the door. She stood a moment on the threshold before she
laid her hand upon the knob. It seemed to her she had never heard such
a hub-bub, but as she listened she seemed to hear, over and above it
all, Miss Blake's soft voice saying quietly:

"If you and the other girls have no more careful a chaperone than Mrs.
Cole, I am afraid your party will prove a rather uproarious one."

"Rather uproarious!" Nan smiled, as she repeated the words to herself.
Then she turned the knob and pushed open the door.

The clamor surged louder than ever, and for a second seemed almost to
stun her. Dishes were clattering, and every one seemed doing his or
her best to add to the tumult and confusion. No one noticed Nan
standing dumbly in the doorway, and it was only when some one's eye
fell upon her as she took a step or two forward that there was a cry of
"Hullo! Here's Nan!" and she was pulled to the table, forced into a
chair, and plied with all sorts of dishes and questions, until she put
her hands to her ears and begged for mercy.

"Here's some salad! Take this!"

"The jelly's most gone and what's left of it is melted. But you're
welcome to it such as it is and what there is of it."

"Where have you been all this time?"

"We've been calling you every sort of a name for being so rude as to
stay away from the supper."

"Oh, Nan had her good reason," shouted Mrs. Cole, pushing back her
chair and springing to her feet.

"Come, girls and boys!" she cried shrilly, "it's getting late. If we
want to dance we'd better be about it."

Of course that led to a general uprising, and in a moment the whole
tableful was swarming toward the parlor.

"How do you like it, Nan?" asked John Gardiner, quizzically, coming and
leaning toward her to whisper the question in her ear, as they stood at
one side waiting for the music to begin.

"Like it!" repeated Nan, "I think Mrs. Cole's simply--well, I'm sorry
she was ever as