It was, in fact, an unnatural blue-black, something the color of shoe blacking. "Oh, Judy, Judy, what will you do next?" cried Molly in real distress. "What will that girl make her do next?" put in Nance, in a disgusted tone. "Now, Nance, I knew you'd say just that, but it's not true. I did it of my own free will. I always loved black and I've wanted black hair all my life." "What will Miss Walker say?" asked some one. "She probably won't know anything about it. I doubt if she remembers the original color of my hair, anyhow. I'm sorry you don't think it's becoming to me. Adele thought it suited me perfectly. Much better than the original mousy-brown shade." "I recognize Adele's fine touch in that expression, 'mousy-brown,'" put in Edith. "Did Adele do anything to change her appearance?" asked Margaret. "Oh, no, she is just right as she is. Her hair is a perfect shade, 'Titian Brown,' it's called. But, girls, I must tell you about the marvelous face cream, 'Cucumber Velvet'; it bleaches and heals at the same time." "Oh, go to," cried Katherine. "Judy, you are so benighted, I don't know what's coming to you. Don't you know that Adele Windsor made Otoyo, here----" "No, no," broke in Otoyo. "I have never told the name. I gave my honorable promise not to. I beg you not to mention it." "What's all this?" Judy began when the ten o'clock bell boomed and the girls scattered to their various rooms. That night, undressing in the dark, Nance and Molly explained to Judy what had happened. "But are you sure she did it?" Judy demanded. "Otoyo never said so, did she?" "No, but we are sure, anyway." "I don't believe it," exclaimed Judy hotly. "Adele is the soul of honor. I shall never believe it unless Otoyo really tells the name." And so Judy went off to bed entirely unreasonable about this new and fascinating friend. "All I can say for you, Judy," said Molly, standing in Judy's bedroom doorway, "is that I hate your black hair, but do you remember that old poem we used to sing as children? I'm sure you must have known it. Most children have." Then Molly recited in her musical clear voice: "'I once had a sweet little doll, dears, The prettiest doll in the world, Her cheeks were so red and so white, dears, And her hair was so charmingly curled. But I lost my poor little doll, dears, As I played on the heath one day; And I cried for her more than a week, dears, But I never could find where she lay. "'I found my poor little doll, dears, As I played in the heath one day: Folks say she is terribly changed, dears, For her paint is all washed away, And her arm trodden off by the cows, dears, And her hair not the least bit curled: Yet for old sake's sake, she is still, dears, The prettiest doll in the world.'" "Humph!" said Judy. "Is that the way you feel about it?" "Yes."