Blue Bonnet felt better after she had confided in Annabel. She scarcely knew why, except that Annabel seemed to see a way out of the difficulty, and she had the reputation of being reliable and level headed.
With a lighter heart than she had known for several days, she dressed for dinner and entered the dining-room with a smile on her lips.
"Praise be!" Sue said, when Blue Bonnet laughed at one of her jokes. "I thought you had given up laughing, Blue Bonnet. You haven't even smiled since Tuesday. Coming down to the Gym to dance to-night?"
"I think I will. I've got to run up-stairs first and get a clean handkerchief."
She ran up-stairs lightly, and, entering her room, switched on the light. She started for the bureau, but the sight of her room-mate, stretched face downward on her bed, arrested and changed her course.
"Why, Joy," she said, "what on earth's the matter? Haven't you been to dinner?"
Joy Cross sat up. She was as pitiable a looking sight as one could imagine. Her face, always white and expressionless, was ashen, and she shook with nervousness.
Blue Bonnet was horrified at her appearance and started for the door to call Mrs. Goodwin or Miss Martin.
"Wait," Joy called, her eyes burning into Blue Bonnet's. "Wait!"
She pulled herself together, struggling for self control.