om me last night!"

"Yes, I went to carry my cousin home," retorted Patricia roguishly.

"Who, I'd like to know? Nobody in this school!"

"Yes, she's right here!" laughed the other, enjoying Ilga's puzzled
stare. "Allow me to present my cousin, Polly Dudley!" She drew Polly
forward.

"Huh, not much! You can't make me swallow that!"

"It's true! Isn't it, Polly? We're third cousins! I found it in the
Genealogy last night! Her mother was an Illingworth!"

Ilga's face lighted.

"Oh, you're 'way off!" she broke out. "She isn't related to her mother
at all. She's only an adopted child."

"But I mean her real mother!" returned Patricia indignantly. "Her own
mother was Phebe Illingworth, and was second cousin to my father--as
if I didn't know!"

"I don't care!" Ilga retorted. And she ran up the stairs.

Some of the girls, standing by, snickered; but Polly and Patricia
gazed soberly at each other. Then they walked over to the rows of
hooks, unbuttoning their coats as they went.

"I think Ilga Barron's just horrid!" whispered Patricia. "I didn't
like her yesterday, and to-day I hate her!"

"Oh, you mustn't!" objected Polly.

"Why not?"

"Because we ought to love everybody, I s'pose," Polly answered slowly.

"Do you love her?" demanded Patricia. "Do you, honest?"

Polly shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't now," she admitted; "but
maybe I can some time."

Patricia laughed. "I don't b'lieve I shall--ever," she declared; "you
can love her enough for us both."

A flock of girls came in from outside, and confidences were hushed,
the two presently going upstairs arm in arm.

"Don't forget that you are to go home with me right after school
to-night!" whispered Patricia, just before they reached the upper
door.

"I couldn't," was the smiling answer. And Polly went to her seat,
still thinking of the pleasure ahead.

At noon David lingered behind until the girls were gone, and hurried
off in advance of them on the way back, trying to satisfy his
conscience with the argument that they wouldn't want him "tagging on
anyway." So the new friends were left for the greater share of the
walk quite to themselves, Polly, when not too much interested in tales
of the pet broncho back in Silverton, keeping a lookout for David, and
wondering where he could possibly be. She even went so far as to wish,
away down in her secret heart, that David were going with her on the
first visit to her new cousin.

Opening from the princi