plunged into an account of one of the last escapades of her wicked
room-mate, whom she pictured as a most fascinating, but a desperately
reckless creature. It was funny, the way she told it, and it sent Jimmy
off into a spasm of mirth. But she would almost rather have bitten her
tongue out than to have caused Jimmy to explode in that wild bray of a
laugh. He slapped his knee repeatedly, and doubled up as if he could
laugh no longer, only to break out in a second bray, louder than the
first. It made the gentlemen in the other end of the room look around
inquiringly.

A.O. was so mortified she could have cried. Jimmy, feeling the instant
change in her manner, and not able to account for it, grew self
conscious and ill at ease. The conversation flagged, and presently
stopped for such a long time that the lady in black turned a slow glance
in their direction.

Meanwhile, Mary Ware, up in the Domestic Science room, was anxiously
watching a kettle which refused to come to the proper boiling point,
where it could be safely left. What was to be the last batch of her
Christmas candy was in that kettle, for she had emptied the last pound
of Mexican sugar into it. If it wasn't cooked exactly right it would
turn to sugar again when it was cold, and not be of the proper
consistency to hold the nuts together. She did not know what effect it
might have on the mixture to set it off the fire while she went down to
receive her unknown visitor, and then bring it to the boiling point
again after it had once grown cold. She was afraid to run any risks. If
the watch-fob was to reach Jack on time, it would have to be started on
its way in a few days, and on the success of this last lot of candy
depended the getting of the last few dollars necessary to its purchase.
She wished that she had ordered more of the sugar in the first place.