ave a suite
to ourselves. Mercy knows there are enough rooms in our wing and next
year we'll have to be in the main house anyway, and I just loathe the
thought of it too."

"Ugh! So do I! But let's reconnoiter and try to spot our bugbear. I
wonder if it wouldn't be appropriate to call her by another name? We've
got to share our _rooms_ with her even if we haven't got to share our
bed. Why didn't the Empress tell us her name? the stubborn old thing!
Just 'a girl from Sprucy Branch will share your suite this year. She
arrived last evening and has already arranged her things in A of Suite
10.' A of course! The very nicest of the three bedrooms opening out of
that study and the only one which has sunshine all day long. You or I
should have had it. I don't call it fair. She's probably trying to make a
good impression upon Miss Sprucy Branch. The name sounds sort of
Japanesy, doesn't it? Wonder if she looks like a Jap too?"

"Well if you are speaking of me I can tell you right now that Miss
Woodhull hasn't succeeded in making any _too_ pleasing an impression upon
Miss Sprucy Branch and so far as keeping Room A in suite 10, is
concerned, either of you is welcome to it, because it would take just
mighty little to make me beat it for the stables, mount Apache, habit or
no habit, and do those thirty-five miles between this luck-forsaken place
and Woodbine in just about four hours, and that is allowing something for
the mountains too. Apache's equal to a good deal better time, but I
should hate to push him, when we were heading toward _home_. That would
pay up for any amount of delay. Thus far I haven't found Leslie Manor as
hospitable as our servant's quarters at Woodbine."

Beverly's cheeks were as red as Aileen's, and her eyes snapping as
menacingly as Sally's by the time she had come to the end of her very
deliberately uttered speech, though she had not moved a hair's breadth
upon her bench, nor had she changed her position. Her head was propped
upon her hand as her arm rested upon the back of the seat, but she was
looking straight at the astonished girls as she spoke.

Never had there been a more complete ambush sprung upon a reconnoitering
party, and for a moment both girls were speechless. It was Sally who
saved the day by springing away from Aileen and landing upon the seat
beside Beverly as she cried:

"Are _you_ to be our room-mate?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. I've got to be _somebody's_ I suppose and I've
been ass