J. Elfreda rose hurriedly, and stumbling over her bag and Grace's feet,
landed in the aisle with more speed than elegance. "You'd better come
along," she advised. "They serve good meals on this train. Besides, I
don't want to eat alone." With that she stalked down the aisle and into
the car ahead.

"It looks as though we were to have plenty of entertainment for the rest
of our journey," remarked Anne.

"I prefer not to be entertained," averred Miriam dryly. "Personally, I
am far from impressed with J. Elfreda. She strikes me as being entirely
too fond of her own comfort. Now that she has vacated your seat, you had
better take it, Grace, before she comes back."

Grace shook her head. "I don't dislike riding backward," she said, "if
you don't mind having her sit beside you. Perhaps some one will leave
the train by the time she comes back; then she will leave us."

"No such good fortune," retorted Miriam. "She prefers our society to
none at all. I think her advice about luncheon isn't so bad, though.
Suppose we follow it?"

Five minutes later the three girls repaired to the dining car and seated
themselves at a table directly across the aisle from their new
acquaintance. J. Elfreda sat toying with her knife and fork, an
impatient frown on her smug face. "These people are the limit," she
grumbled. "It takes forever to get anything to eat. If I'd ordered it
yesterday, I'd have some hopes of getting it to-day." Then, apparently
forgetting the existence of the three girls, she sat with eyes fixed