ugh Lena's when they were
outside in the starlight.

"Come now--you shut up!" retorted Lena. "Miss Laura's given us a dandy
time to-night, an' I ain't goin' back on her the minute I'm out of her
house. An' I didn't think it of you, Eva Bicknell."

"Who's goin' back on her?" Eva's hot temper took fire at once. "Shut up
yourself, Lena Barton!" she flared. "I ain't goin' back on Miss Laura
any more than you are. Mebbe you're so flush that you can drop pennies
an' nickels 'round promiscuous, but me--well, I ain't--that's all," and
she marched on in sulky silence.

On the next Wednesday evening, some of the girls came to the Camp Fire
room, and played games, which some enjoyed and others yawned over, and
made fudge which all seemed to enjoy. On the next Wednesday they sang
for a while, Laura accompanying them on the piano, and Rose Anderson
played for them on her violin. After that they sat on the floor before
the fire and talked; but Laura was a little doubtful about these
evenings. She feared that these quiet pleasures would not hold some of
the girls against the alluring delights of dances and moving pictures
and boys.

Meantime she did not forget Elizabeth, and on the first opportunity she
went to see Mrs. Page. Sadie opened the door, and was present at the
interview. She was evidently very conscious of the fact that her braids
were now wound about her head and adorned with a stiff white bow that
stuck out several inches on either side.

Mrs. Page received her visitor coldly, understanding that she came to
intercede for Elizabeth. She said that Elizabeth's father did not want
his daughter to go out evenings; that she had a good home and must be
contented to stay in it "as my own children do," she ended with a glance
at Sadie, who sat on the edge of a chair with much the aspect of a
terrier watching a rat-hole. When Miss Laura asked if she might see
Elizabeth, Sadie tossed her head and coughed behind her handkerchief, as
her mother answered that Elizabeth was busy and could not leave her
work.

"But wouldn't she do her work all the better if she had a little change
now and then, and the companionship of other girls?" Laura urged gently.

"She has the companionship of her sister--she must be satisfied with
that," was the uncompromising reply.

With a sigh, Laura rose to leave, but as she glanced at Sadie's
triumphant face, she had an inspiration. The child was certainly
unattractive, but perhaps all the more for