um the whole story
of last year. Once Mary learned Mignon's true character she would see
matters in a different light. But what had the French girl said about
Constance? If only she had held her peace and not interrupted Mary. Even
as a little girl Marjorie remembered how hard it had been, once Mary was
angry, to discover the cause. In spite of her usual good-nature she was
unyieldingly stubborn. When, at rare intervals, she became displeased or
hurt over a fancied grievance, she would nurse her anger for days in
sulky silence.

"I'll tell her all about last year the minute we get into the house this
noon," resolved Marjorie. "When she knows how badly Mignon behaved
toward Connie----" The little girl drew a sharp breath of dismay. Into
her mind flashed her recent promise to Constance Stevens. She could tell
Mary nothing until she had permission to do so. That meant that for the
day, at least, she must remain mute, for Constance was not in school
that morning, nor would she be in during the day. She had received
special permission from Miss Archer to be excused from lessons while her
foster father was at Gray Gables.

It was a very sober little girl who wended her way to the French class,
her next recitation. Out of an apparently clear sky the miserable set of
circumstances frowned upon her dawning sophomore year. But it must come
right. She would go to Gray Gables that very afternoon and ask Constance
to release her from her promise. Connie would surely be willing to do
so, when she knew all. Comforted by this thought, Marjorie brightened
again.

"_Bon jour_, Mademoiselle Dean," greeted the cheerful voice of Professor
Fontaine as she entered his classroom. "It is with a great plaisure
that I see you again. Let us 'ope that you haf not forgottaine your
French, I trost you haf sometimes remembered _la belle langue_ during
your vacation." The little man beamed delightedly upon Marjorie.

"I am afraid I have forgotten a great deal of it, Professor Fontaine."
Marjorie spoke with the pretty deference that she always accorded this
long-suffering professor, whose strongly accented English and foreign
eccentricities made him the subject of many ill-timed jests on the part
of his thoughtless pupils. "I'm going to study hard, though, and it will
soon come back to me."

"Ah! These are the words it makes happiness to hear," he returned
amiably. "Some day, when you haf learned to spik the French as the
English, you will be glad