Everybody laughed, for they knew the old story, and Miss Hull clapped delightedly.

The next was the famous Countess de Camier. Daphne in all her radiant loveliness was so like the miniature of the Countess, kept carefully in a locked case in the library, that Miss Hull was stunned. Like her charming model, Daphne wore a quaint shepherdess dress, that spread about her dainty slippered feet in soft billows. Her hat was a white leghorn with just a flat bow of blue velvet on top, but a ma.s.s of tiny forget-me-nots snuggled beneath the brim, against her wonderful hair, at the back.

She sat on a small, straight-back chair, leaning a little forward, her lips parted in a haunting little smile, and her eyes bright.

"Oh!" gasped everybody, the girls, the faculty, and Miss Hull, and then held their breaths, fearful lest the curtain drop and shut out the lovely picture.

At last it dropped slowly only to rise again and again.

"What a beautiful Juliet she would make!" Miss Hull said, and Miss Sloc.u.m nodded.

The last picture was hardly worth showing. Helen Jenkins, dressed in man's clothes, sat at the spinnet and tried to look as though she were composing a masterpiece, but everybody was too full of Daphne to look at her.

The curtain dropped, the lights came on, and the girls came from behind the scenes in their costumes to join in the dance that followed. Phyllis and Daphne made a beautiful picture as they walked arm in arm through the room, for Phyllis, with her hair over her shoulders and the soft ivory folds of her robe falling about her graceful body was very beautiful. They were almost rivalled in loveliness by Sally and Janet, for they made dashing boys and they swaggered about in fine style.

Miss Hull's usually remote disposition was touched by the nature of the surprise. She loved the history of her house, and she was delighted to see the genuine feeling the girls put into their impersonations, and she did not stint her praise as she said good night to each girl in turn.

It was a sleepy but very happy school that sought their beds as the grandfather clocks throughout the house struck eleven.

"I told you it wouldn't be hard to stay here for the hols, and it hasn't been, has it?"

"Certainly not."

"How about the trip to New York, Prus?"

"Oh, bother New York!" Prue replied, and the evening ended as the day had begun, with laughter.

CHAPTER XVIII-The Elections

The low-ceilinged white-washed gym at Hilltop had originally been the store-room and the dairy. The rooms were thrown into one, and made an excellent gymnasium. A balcony ran around the sides for spectators, and the walls were lined with racks for dumb bells and other apparatus.

Basket ball posts stood at either end, and hooked up to the ceiling were trapezes and bars.

Hilltop preferred to take its exercise out-of-doors, but the gym was a very good subst.i.tute in bad weather.

It was nearing the Christmas holidays, the most exciting time of the year. Teams were chosen and new members were elected to the various clubs.

Because of the unusually cold and rainy weather, the archery target had been brought in and put up in the gym. A soft, small mesh curtain hung behind it to catch stray arrows. The bows were piled up along the wall, and the arrows kept a neat pile beside them.

"It looks stuffy to me," Sally complained. "I never shot indoors and I don't think I'm going to like it."

Janet eyed the arrangements critically.

"Oh, well, it will have the same effect on everybody," she said. "And seriously, Sally, you know we haven't a chance. There are loads of girls up for election."

"I know and we're only Sophs," Sally agreed. "Still I can't give up hope."

"But Sally, there are only ten to be chosen, six regulars and four subs," Janet reminded her. "Why, we haven't a chance. There's always next year though, and the blessed year after. You'll be captain of sports then."

"I will not, you will be. I decided that ages ago. Phil is to be president of the Dramatics, and Daphne of the cla.s.s."

Janet eyed her affectionately. "And what are you going to be when you have disposed of the rest of us?"

"Oh, guide, philosopher and friend to you all," Sally laughed. "Then I can have my finger in every pie."

"That's the way our four does things anyway," Janet laughed. They always spoke of themselves as "our four" since Daphne had happily thought of the name. The rest of the girls, old and young, looked on in approval. A school is apt to be proud of its close friendships.

Ann, Prue and Gladys, in imitation, called themselves "We and Co.," and the school smiled and approved again.

The Red Twins came in and put an end to further discussion. They had recovered long since from their attack of measles and they had returned from the Infirmary very chastened in spirit-as Sally said, "the spirit of Hilltop was beginning to work." They were still too serious about every compet.i.tion they entered, and they had not grown any fonder of each other during their illness.

It was the rules of the contest that everyone must use the regulation bows. The Twins had their own special make that they practiced with, preferring them in a superior way to the ones the school supplied.

They had them with them now and Sally and Janet stopped to admire them.

"Don't you think it mean we can't use them in the contest?" Bess asked in aggrieved tones.

"No, I don't, it would hardly be fair. You wouldn't want an advantage, would you?" Sally replied.

"I don't see why not," May said sulkily. "If we can have them, then we're lucky and we ought to benefit by our luck."

Janet and Sally did not bother to reply. They left the gym and climbed the steep back stairs.

"The more I see of those girls, the more I detest them," Janet said with feeling.

"I know," Sally agreed. "I begin to think they are possible and improving, and then they say a thing like that."

"Hopeless," Janet announced, and the Red Twins were discarded as unfit for further conversation.

"h.e.l.lo, you two!" Daphne called from the door of the library as they pa.s.sed. They went in and found Phyllis with her nose in a copy of the _Merchant of Venice_.

"Down looking at your miniature, Taffy?" Sally teased.

"I am not, indeed; I'm trying to learn Little Ellie by Mrs. Browning,"

Daphne protested. "It is a lovely thing," she added, turning to Janet.

"I knew you'd love it," Janet's eyes glowed with enthusiasm. "I wanted Phyllis to learn it but she stuck to 'the Quality of Mercy Is Not Strained,' and I don't know that I blame her, it's so beautiful."

"And short," Phyllis added, putting down the book. Sally went over and sat beside her and she slipped her arm about her neck.

"Tell us again, Sally, just what happens this afternoon," she said.

"At two o'clock the gong sounds," Sally began, "and everybody troops to the gym. There's a game of basket ball first. Every girl who is eligible gets a chance to play. After that comes the archery practice. We shoot, the same as we did on Archery Day, that is, all the eligible girls. Then there's the jumping and pole vaulting and the drill. Then cold tubs, supper, and the Dramatic Club girls recite in the evening. After that a dance and refreshments."

"But when do we know?" Phyllis insisted.