ere mad until I told
him; he just knew you wouldn't see him when he called."

Miss Gertrude's eyes were on her fragile pink work as Ethel Blue
blundered on.

"What shall I tell him?" she said, breaking the silence.

"You may tell him," said Gertrude slowly, "that I have a school friend
in Oklahoma who tells me that Oklahoma is a very good place to live."

Ethel Blue clapped her hands noiselessly.

"But tell him, also," Gertrude went on, her blue eyes stern, "that I
shall be too busy to see him before he goes."

"Oh, Miss Gertrude!" ejaculated Ethel, disappointed. "I don't quite know
whether you care or not."

"Neither do I," replied Gertrude, and she leaned over and kissed Ethel
Blue with lips that smiled sadly.

CHAPTER XII

WEST POINT

Ethel Blue gave Gertrude Merriam's message to Edward Watkins who was as
much puzzled by it as she had been.

"What does she mean?" he asked. "Does she care for me or doesn't she?"

"She doesn't know herself. I asked her."

Edward whistled a long, soft whistle.

"Aren't girls the queerest things ever made!" he ejaculated in wonder.

"I don't think it's queer," defended Ethel. "First, it was all guesswork
with her because you never had told her that you cared. And then she was
angry at your having talked _about_ her when you hadn't talked _to_ her.
Her feelings were hurt badly. And now she doesn't know what she does
feel."

"She isn't strong against Oklahoma, anyway. I guess I'll accept that
offer."

Ethel Blue nodded.

"I want to tell you one thing more before you go," she said. "I haven't
told any one a word about this, even Ethel Brown. It's the first thing
in all my life I haven't told Ethel Brown."

"I suspect it's been pretty hard for you not to. You know I appreciate
it. If things work out as I hope, it will be you who have helped me
most," and he shook hands with her very seriously. "There's one thing
more I wish you'd do for me," he pleaded.

Ethel Blue nodded assent.

"If I can."

"I know you Club people will be hanging May baskets on May Day morning.
Will you hang this one on Miss Gertrude's door--the door of her room, so
that there won't be any mistake about her getting it?"

"Certainly I will."

"It's just a little note to say 'good-bye.' See, you can read it."

"I don't want to," responded Ethel Blue stoutly, though it was hard to
let good manners prevail over a desire to see the inside of the very
first letter she had ever seen the