"Mary wants you to come down-stairs and meet her mother, Blue Bonnet," Carita said. "She came for Commencement. Peggy's mother will be here to-morrow. Oh, dear, I wish Texas wasn't so far off." It was but a few days before the closing of school and the halls and corridors were filled with strange faces. "Annabel's mother is here too," Mary said, leading the way down-stairs. "She's b-e-a-utiful. Annabel looks just like her." A fact Blue Bonnet found to be true a moment later, when she was presented by the radiant and altogether happy Annabel. There was a half hour's chat, and then Blue Bonnet ran up to her room again. She closed the door softly and going over to the window stood for a moment looking out over her favorite view. Her eyes were full of tears. "No, you won't--you just sha'n't cry!" she said to herself after a moment's struggle for self-control. The sight of so many girls had awakened all the old longings. "You've got the _best Uncle_ that ever was born into the world--_the best Grandmother--the best Aunt_! You haven't any right to feel sorry for yourself;" and fleeing as if from wrath to come, she ran hastily across the hall and burst into Sue's room, where a crowd of girls were holding high carnival. CHAPTER XXII COMMENCEMENT Commencement week had come at last with all its attendant flurry and excitement. There was perpetual movement in the halls--girls flew in every direction; teachers looked tired and careworn. In Annabel Jackson's room Blue Bonnet sat running ribbons in Annabel's underwear--every Junior was waiting on her Senior hand and foot these days; it was a special privilege and one much coveted by adoring satellites. "There," she said, tying the last bow with care. "That's ready. I'm just going to draw the water for Annabel's bath, Sue; she'll be up in a second. Suppose you pick up the room a bit. Looks like a cyclone had struck it. Annabel can't dress in such a muss." Annabel herself came in at that moment, her cheeks pink with excitement, her face radiant with pleasure. "My, but I'm late! Do you think I can dress in six minutes? It lacks just that much of twelve o'clock and some of the boys have arrived already. I saw Mr. Billings pacing the floor in the living-room, Sue. Why don't you go down if you're ready? Blue Bonnet will help me." It was the day of the Senior dance. A gala day at Miss North's. Sue and Blue Bonnet had both been invited to the dance--an almost unheard of privilege. Sue had been thus favored because her brother Billy was to be Annabel's guest, and Blue Bonnet, because Annabel had begged Miss North, almost on her hands and knees to grant her this one last request. It was a long established custom for the young men to arrive at noon, pay their respects to teachers and the girls who had invited them and remain on for a concert, tea, or whatever had been planned for their entertainment. At five o'clock they left to dress for the dinner which preceded the dance.