Gate of Commencement. It was only a little time since they had passed
through that gateway, yet how long it seemed.

Suddenly her look of abstraction changed to one of startled interest.
Running to the door she threw it open and listened intently. She heard
Mrs. Elwood's voice raised in pleased surprise, then, could she believe
her ears? she heard another never-to-be-forgotten voice say, "I could see
that there was some one awake and stirring."

With a joyous cry of "J. Elfreda, where, oh, where did you come from?" a
lithe, blue-robed figure raced down the stairs and wrapped both arms
tightly about a plump young woman, in a tailored coat suit, who returned
the warm embrace with interest.

"Oh, Grace, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you again!" exclaimed J.
Elfreda Briggs fervently. "I never was so glad in all my life as when I
found out you were here. The letter was forwarded to me at the beach.
We're at Wildwood for the summer. Maybe I didn't pick up my things in a
hurry. To use slang, which you know I can't resist using occasionally, I
hot-footed it for the station the minute Ma said I could come."

"Which letter do you mean, Elfreda?" asked Grace in a puzzled tone.

"Why the one from Mrs. Gray, of course," returned Elfreda. "Isn't she
here?"

"Yes, but--"

"Grace! Elfreda!" called Mrs. Gray from the head of the stairs, "come up
here, children."