nce,
to guard a mysterious box for him? What could possibly happen to him
when he went to Washington! It was all too vague and too absurd. She
decided that she and Phyllis would have nothing to do with Lieutenant
Lawton's invention.

"I don't believe, Phil, that you and I ought to do what Lieutenant
Lawton asks unless he takes us fully into his confidence," she
protested.

Phyllis closed her lips with an expression of quiet resolution. "I will
take care of the box for you while you are away, Lieutenant Lawton,"
she declared. "If Madge doesn't wish to have anything to do with it,
she will keep your secret, at any rate. I know it will be all right,
Madge; I am sure you will agree with me," she ended coaxingly, turning
to her chum. "We could not refuse to do such a simple favor for a
friend. And I think Lieutenant Lawton is a true patriot to give his
invention to his country, instead of selling it to make a fortune, as
so many other men would do, and I am proud to aid him in even the
smallest way."

Lieutenant Lawton blushed. It occurred to Madge that she and Phyllis
knew little of the young officer's real character. Suppose, after all,
he did not intend to present his discovery to his Government? Were she
and Phil to be used as dupes? A long, searching look into the young
man's earnest face seemed to reassure her.

"When do you wish to give Phil the box, Mr. Lawton?" she said slowly.

"To-night, when you come to Mrs. Curtis's to rehearse for your play,"
replied Lieutenant Jimmy. "I shall want to see you and Miss Alden alone
somewhere. It will only take a minute to hand you the box, but do not,
for the world, let either Tom Curtis or Alfred Thornton know what I
have asked of you."

"We won't," promised Phyllis readily.

"Then I can depend on you?" asked the young man anxiously. "You are
certain that you are willing to stand by me, Miss Morton?"

"Yes." Madge gave an emphatic nod. "I feel that you would not ask us to
do anything unless you were sure that it was for the best. We will take
care of the box for you and no one need suspect that we have it."

"I thank you." Lieutenant Lawton shook hands with the two girls, and
thus the compact, involving far more than either of the girls could
possibly guess, was sealed.

CHAPTER VI

FLORA BETRAYS A STATE SECRET

Alfred Thornton had not come to spend several weeks in camp with Tom
Curtis and a dozen other of his acquaintances solely for the pleasure
of th