stirred her to sudden pity. "I'm sorry this had to happen, Miss Noble," she said, almost gently. "There's only one thing to do; forget it. We intend to. Won't you? I'm willing to begin over again and----" "Don't preach to me! I hate you! I'll never forgive you!" Out of defeat, resentment flared afresh. Darting past the group of girls, Elsie Noble gained the door which was now unlocked. She flashed from the room slamming the door behind her with a force that threatened to shake it from its hinges. "Some little tempest," cheerfully averred Judith. "Jane, let me congratulate you. You did the deed." "Don't congratulate me." Jane scowled fiercely. "I feel like--well, just what she said I was--a bully. She's not so much to blame. She's a poor little cat's-paw for Marian Seaton." "She's to blame for letting herself be influenced by Marian," disagreed Judith. "How do you suppose she found out about our going to invite the Bridge Street freshmen to the dance?" "She must have, of a certainty, listened at our door," declared Adrienne. "I don't believe she could hear a thing that way," disagreed Judith. "These doors are heavy. The sound doesn't go through them. Besides, she couldn't stand outside and eavesdrop long without being noticed by some one passing through the hall. Girls are always coming and going, you know." "Yet how could she otherwise know these things?" insisted Adrienne. "Give it up." Judith shook her head. "It's a mystery. She knew them. Maybe some day we'll know how she learned. We'll probably find out when we least expect to. Just stumble upon it long after we've forgotten all about it." CHAPTER XVI PLAYING CAVALIER That evening after dinner, Jane indulged in one of her dark, floor-tramping moods. The disagreeable interview of the afternoon had left a bad taste in her mouth. She had done what she had deemed