things, Nancy," cried Alma, shaking off her
sister's hand. "I--I couldn't go on rooming with Mildred if I believed
what you say of her, and I won't listen to you."

"Oh, Alma--don't, _don't_ let us quarrel again," pleaded Nancy. "Why
can't you believe that it's almost unbearably hard for me to say these
things to you? I am a coward, too, because I'm so afraid of losing one
little jot of your affection, that I would rather a thousand times hold
my tongue than say anything to make you angry. But I can't be silent."

"You've made me more unhappy now than I was before," said Alma,
sullenly. "Do you want me to be a hypocrite, and pretend to be fond of
Mildred still, while I'm believing what you want me to believe of her?"

Nancy got up, feeling quite desperate about the failure of her attempts
to show Alma her danger. While she was thinking of something to say
she walked over to the door and switched on the light. Just as she
turned, she saw Alma make a quick movement--but Alma was not quick
enough to grasp a handsome fur neck-piece off the chair and whisk it
behind the pillow before Nancy saw her. Alma blushed crimson. If it
had not been for that swift action and the guilty blush, Nancy would
not even have noticed the scarf--or, if she had, she would simply have
thought that it was one of Mildred's. For some reason she flushed
herself, and Stood staring blankly at Alma, curiously ashamed of Alma's
own guilty expression. Then Alma slowly drew the scarf from its
hiding-place, and tried to laugh.

"You're going to scold me for my extravagance now, Nancy. I--I got
this to-day. I was hiding it, because I didn't--I mean I was afraid
you might read me a lecture." She attempted an air of playful
penitence, but it was rather a failure. It was a very expensive fur,
long and fluffy, and beautifully lined with frilled chiffon.

"But--Alma," remonstrated Nancy, weakly, "how did you get it? It must
have cost at least a hundred dollars. Why----" She broke off quite
dazed and frightened at the thought of such a sum, and stared at her
sister as if she thought that Alma had taken leave of her senses.

"Well, you see--don't worry, Nancy," stammered Alma, evidently finding
the greatest difficulty in explaining. "You see--it was this way.
Milly--oh, Nancy,"--she stopped and looked at her sister
beseechingly,--"Milly wanted me to get it. And she offered to lend me
the money--she begged me to let her lend it to me, and I