Meanwhile, out on the veranda, Adrienne was remarking under her breath
to Jane:

"Did you observe the face of Marian Seaton? Ah, but she is the guilty
one!"

"I noticed," replied Jane dryly. "I was determined to make her look at
me, and she did. It upset her to see me here. She wasn't expecting it."

"It is the annoyance that she has returned," sighed Adrienne. "All has
been so delightful without her."

"I'm going to forget that she's here," avowed Jane sturdily. "Come on,
Imp. Let's go over to the stable and see Firefly. I promised him an
apple and three lumps of sugar yesterday. I must keep my word to him."

Rising, Jane held out an inviting hand to Adrienne. The little girl
promptly linked her fingers within Jane's and the two started down the
steps, making a pretty picture as they strolled bare-headed across the
campus to the western gate.

"Hello, children! Whither away?"

Almost to the wide gateway they encountered Dorothy Martin coming from
an opposite direction.

"We're going to call on Firefly. Want to come along?" invited Jane.

"Of course I do. Firefly is a very dear friend of mine."

"I must stop at that little fruit stand below the campus and buy
Firefly's apple," Jane said as the trio emerged from the campus onto the
public highway. "I have the sugar in my blouse pocket."

She patted a tiny bulging pocket of her white silk blouse.

"Marian Seaton and Maizie Gilbert have returned," Adrienne informed
Dorothy, with a droll air of resignation. "But a few moments past and we
saw them arrive. We made no effort to embrace them."

"Miss Howard isn't pleased over their staying away so long," confided
Dorothy. "She told me yesterday that every student had reported except
those two. She asked me if I knew why they were so late. She hadn't
received a word of excuse from either of them. Too bad, isn't it, that
they should so deliberately set their faces against right?"

"They walk with the eyes open, yet are blind," mused Adrienne. "I have
known many such persons. Seldom is there the remedy. I cannot imagine
the reform of Marian Seaton. It would be the miracle."

"You may laugh if you like, but I've wondered whether there mightn't be
some way to find the good in her. Dad says there's some good in even
the worst person, if one can only find it."

Silent from the moment Adrienne had mentioned Marian's name, Jane broke
into the conversation.

"After I read that miserable letter, I felt as though I ha