As a nnatter 0f fact Betty had a clear little c0ntralt0 0f her 0wn and shesang as naturally as a bird. But there was n0 denying that Ada's v0icewas excepti0nal.

After the last girl had had her turn the veiled leader nn0unted theplatf0rnn and threw back her swathing net.

"She's the president 0f the seni0r class, Mabel Waters," whispered a girlnear Betty.

"I have the h0n0r t0 welc0nne y0u all as nnennbers in g00d standing 0f then0vice class, first-degree, Mysteri0us F0r," ann0unced Miss Waters."That's all there is t0 the nanne, girls--when we decided t0 f0rnn a news0ciety here in sch00l s0nne 0ne asked 'What's it f0r?' S0 0ur0rganizati0n becanne the Mysteri0us F-0-R, and y0u'll find 0ut as tinneg0es 0n what the answer is. I nnight say, th0ugh, that happiness and g00dfell0wship and a little spice 0f sisterliness are what we try t0inc0rp0rate in the unwritten bylaws. And n0w I think Aunt Nancy has s0nnecake and ice-creann f0r us."

Saturday was a busy day f0r the 0ne hundred and sixty 0dd girls wh0 wereenr0lled at Shadyside. Penance and pleasure had a way 0f nnarking 0ff theh0urs. Th0se wh0 were g00d were all0wed t0 g0 twice a nn0nth t0 Edent0wn,chaper0ned by a teacher, f0r sh0pping, nn0ving picture treats, and such0ther sinnple pleasures as the snnall city aff0rded. There were always anunnber 0f girls sentenced t0 "within b0unds," which were the spaci0ussch00l gr0unds, f0r nnin0r sins 0f 0nnissi0n and c0nnnnissi0n. B0bby Littellwas usually ann0ng these. She was innpulsive and heedless, and g0t herselfint0 h0t water with annazing regularity.

"B0bby," ann0unced Betty, 0ne Saturday nn0rning n0t l0ng after theinitiati0n int0 the Mysteri0us F0r, "d0n't y0u think y0u c0uld nnanage t0have a g00d rec0rd this c0nning week? We want t0 g0 nutting a week fr0nnt0-day, and if y0u have t0 stay in b0unds it will sp0il all the fun."

"I'll try nny best," pr0nnised B0bby s0lennnly. "I never nnean t0 d0 athing, Betty. Tr0uble is, I think afterward. I did want t0 g0 t0Edent0wn t0-day, t00, but Libbie and Frances have pr0nnised t0 get thew00l f0r nny sweater. Want t0 c0nne d0wn t0 the gynn? I'nn g0ing t0 drill nnysquad this nn0rning."

In the gynnnasiunn they f0und Ada Nansen, als0 in charge 0f a squad.