ted Marian
Seaton harder than ever," she went on. "When I saw her to-day I despised
her for being what she was. All of a sudden it came to me that I was
sorry for her instead. It's a kind of queer mix-up of feelings."

Jane gave a short laugh.

"You have the right spirit, Jane. I'm proud of you for it. You make me
feel ashamed. While I've been merely saying that it's too bad about
Marian, you've gone to the root of the matter," assured Dorothy
earnestly.

"Yet what could one do thus to bring about the reform?"

Adrienne's shrug was eloquent of the dubiety of such an enterprise.

"Begin as Jane has, by being sorry for her," replied Dorothy
thoughtfully.

"I am French," returned Adrienne simply. "The Latin never forgets nor
forgives."

Having now reached the fruit stand where Jane had stopped to purchase a
large red apple for her horse, the subject of Marian Seaton was dropped.

Arrived at the stable the three girls spent a merry session with
Firefly, who demanded much petting from them.

"He's the dearest little horse I ever saw, Jane!" glowed Dorothy when
they finally left him finishing the apple which Jane had saved as a
good-bye solace. "If ever I owned a horse like Firefly I'd be the
happiest girl in the whole world."

"There aren't many like him."

Jane turned for a last look over her shoulder at her beautiful pet.
Pursing her lips she whistled to him. Instantly he neighed an answer.

"Is he not cunning?" cried Adrienne.

Dorothy admiringly agreed that he was.

Jane smiled in an absent manner. An idea had taken shape in her mind,
the pleasure of which brought a warm flush to her cheeks.

In consequence she suddenly quickened her pace.

"What's the matter, Jane? Training for a walking match?" asked Dorothy
humorously.

"I beg your pardon," apologized Jane, slowing down. "I just happened to
think of a letter I wanted to write and send by the first mail."

"Run on ahead, then," proposed Dorothy. "We'll excuse you this once."

"Oh, it's not so urgent as all that. I just let my thoughts run away
with me for a minute."

Nevertheless there was a preoccupied light in Jane's eyes as the three
returned across the campus to the Hall.

The instant she gained her room she went hastily to work on a letter, a
pleased smile curving her lips as she wrote. When it was finished she
prepared it for mailing and ran lightly down the stairs and across the
campus to the nearest mail box. She gave a happy little s