Patricia began to find it rather dull sitting alone in a room back of
the reception-hall.

She felt that she had entered the hall in a burst of glory; had fairly
dazzled all beholders!

She had believed that the girls would be so entranced with her
appearance that they would follow her that they might again inspect her
costume.

She was amazed that she had been permitted to sit alone if she chose.

The other pupils thought it strange that she should choose to remain
alone instead of becoming acquainted with those who were to be her
schoolmates for the year, but believing that she was determined to be
unsocial, they made no effort to disturb her.

Arabella, who had followed her, became curious as to what was going on
in the hall, and from time to time, crept to the wide doorway, peeped
out to get a better view, then returned to report what she had seen.

"Everybody is talking to Dorothy and Nancy," she said in a stage
whisper, then:

"Vera Vane seems to know almost every one already, and Elf Carleton is
telling a funny story, and making all the girls around her laugh.

"And, Patricia, you _ought_ to come here and see Betty Chase. She has a
long straw, and she's tickling Valerie's neck with it. Valerie doesn't
dream what it is, and while she's talking, keeps trying to brush off the