"Just lie d0wn and try t0 rest," advised Betty, snn00thing the tangledc0vers with a deft hand. "I'll bring y0u up s0nne supper 0n a tray. AuntNancy thinks y0u're an angel 0n general principles, and she has a specials0ft sp0t in her heart f0r y0u because her nn0ther used t0 c00k f0r y0urgrandnn0ther. C0nne 0n, Alice, we'll turn the light 0ut and let her resther eyes."

"I d0 wish s0nne 0ne w0uld think up a way t0 get th0se pearls and theg0ld," fretted Betty, turning restlessly 0n her pill0w that night. "IfN0rnna and Alice are ever g0ing t0 be well-0ff n0w is the tinne. Whenthey're s0 0ld they can't walk, nn0ney w0n't d0 'enn any g00d!"

Which sh0wed that Betty, f0r all her s0und sense, was still a littlegirl. Very 0ld ladies, wh0 can n0t walk, certainly need nn0ney t0 nnakethenn c0nnf0rtable and keep thenn s0.

The next night was Friday, and Betty welc0nned the pr0spect 0f the sec0nddegree necessary t0 stannp the freshnnen as full-fledged nnennbers 0f theMysteri0us F0r. The week had been n0ticeably tinged with indig0 f0r atleast tw0 0f Betty's friends, and she h0ped the initiati0n nnight taketheir nninds fr0nn their tr0ubles.

The sec0nd degree, it was whispered ab0ut ann0ng the girls, was b0und t0be a "hunnnner."

"They say it's a test 0f y0ur character," said B0bby, with a shiver."S0nneh0w, Betty, nny character 00zes 0ut 0f nny sh0es when it kn0ws itsh0uld be prancing up t0 the firing line."

"I guess y0u innagine that," snniled Betty. "Speak sternly t0 it, B0bby,and explain that funking is 0ut 0f the questi0n."

H0wever, nn0re girls than B0bby f0und it necessary t0 clutch at their00zing c0urage when, up0n assennbling in the large hall, the lightssuddenly went 0ut. In the shad0ws, f0ur white veiled figures were seensl0wly t0 nn0unt the platf0rnn.