"Oh, no!" said Helen, quickly. Not for worlds would she have let Betty know how much she counted on that song. She had written another little verse for her theme class, and that very morning it had come back with "Good work—charming lilt," scrawled across the margin. So Helen had high hopes for the song.
Just then the door of the gym. opened, and Lucy Merrifield, the president of 19—, came in.
"Hello, Lucy," chorused the group of sprawling figures nearest the door.
"You're just in time to see us do up the regular team," called Elizabeth
West, who captained the "subs."
"Thank you," returned Lucy, "but I can't stay to see you do any such unbecoming thing. I came on an errand to Betty Wales. Isn't she here?"
"Here I am," called Betty, scrambling upright and brushing the hair out of her eyes.
"I came to tell you that you've been appointed to the Students'
Commission, to serve until Christy Mason gets back," explained Lucy.
"Till Christy gets back?" repeated Betty in bewilderment.
"Yes, she's been called home very suddenly. Her mother is ill, and Christy is going to keep house and see to the children. She'll be away a month anyhow and perhaps all this term. And as there are a lot of important matters coming up just now, we decided that we would better appoint a substitute on the commission."
"I'm afraid I can't be much help," began Betty, doubtfully.