invited Grace. Miriam and Elfreda had assisted their friends with
their luggage.

"How nice your room looks," praised Miriam. "I like that wall paper.
It is so dainty. Your favorite blue, too, Grace. I wonder if Mrs.
Elwood knew that blue was your color?"

"I suppose so," returned Grace. "Two-thirds of my clothes are blue,
you know. I must run downstairs and thank her for championing our
cause. I won't be gone five minutes."

"We must go," declared Miriam. "We are going to begin unpacking to-night."

Running lightly down the stairs, Grace thrust her head between the
portieres that separated the living-room from the hall. Mrs. Elwood
sat reading her magazine as placidly as though nothing had happened
within the last hour to disturb her equanimity.

"Thank you ever so much, Mrs. Elwood," said Grace gratefully,
walking up to the dignified matron and shyly offering her hand.

"Nonsense, child!" was the reply. "You have nothing for which to
thank me. You don't suppose I would allow a new boarder to infringe
upon the rights of my old girls, do you?"

"No," admitted Grace. "I'm sorry that things had to happen that
way," she added regretfully.

"Don't you worry about it any more, Miss Harlowe," comforted the
older woman. "It's nothing you are to blame for. You had the first