e had finished
her last recitation of the morning and was on her way to Madison Hall
that Jane remembered her resolve to see Alicia.

Determined to lose no more time in putting it into execution, she
quickened her pace. Coming to the stone walk leading up to the steps of
the Hall, Jane uttered a little cluck of satisfaction. She had spied
Alicia seated in a rocker on the veranda, engaged in reading a letter.

"Oh, Alicia!" she called as she reached the foot of the steps. "You're
the very person I most want to see!"

Sound of Jane's voice caused Alicia to glance up in startled fashion.
She had been faintly smiling over her letter when first Jane glimpsed
her. Now her pale face underwent a swift, ominous change. She hastily
rose.

"I didn't wish to see _you_," she said stiffly, and marched into the
house.

Jane's primary impulse was to follow her and demand an explanation. The
rebuff, however, had stirred again into life the old, rebellious pride
which had formerly caused her so much unhappiness.

For a moment she stood still, hands clenched, cheeks flaming with
mortification. Then with a bitter smile she walked slowly up the steps
and into the house. After that affront Alicia would wait a long time
before she, Jane Allen, would seek an explanation.

"Well, it has come," she said sullenly, as she entered her room where
Judith sat at the dressing table, recoiling her long brown hair.

"What's come? By 'it' do you mean yourself?"

Judith turned in her chair with a boyish grin.

"No," Jane answered shortly. "Alicia Reynolds has gone back to her old
chums."

"You don't mean it!"

Judith's hands dropped from her hair. In her surprise she let go of half
a dozen hair pins she had been holding in one hand.

"Now see what you made me do," she laughingly accused. "Get down and
help me pick them up."

"Oh, bother your old hairpins!" exclaimed Jane savagely. "I'm awfully
upset about this, Judy. I felt last night as if I should have gone to
Alicia and asked her what was the matter. This is some of Marian
Seaton's work."

"Of course it is," calmly concurred Judith. "I haven't the least idea
of what it's all about, but I agree with you just the same. I'll agree
even harder when I do find out."

In a few jerky sentences Jane enlightened Judith.

"So that's the way the land lies," commented Judith. "Well, I'm not
surprised. Take my word for it the ignoble Noble has had a hand in this.
Just the same I don't believe A