rjorie's reproachful cry. "Then there isn't
much use is asking you girls to help me."

This was too much for the impulsive Jerry.

"Don't look at us like that. As though you had lost your last friend.
Just let me tell you, you haven't. I take it all back. I'll promise to
go on a hunting expedition for Mignon's better self any old time you
say."

"Sieves _have_ been known to hold water," acknowledged Muriel, not to be
outdone by Jerry's burst of loyalty.

"And wildcats have sometimes become household pets," added Susan with
her infectious giggle.

"So have mothers been known to change their minds," put in Irma. "I'm
ashamed of myself for being a quitter before I've even heard your plan."

Marjorie's dark eyes shone with affection. "You are splendid," she
praised with a little catch in her voice. "I can't help telling you now.
After all, it isn't a very great plan, but it's the best I could think
of just now, and this is it. Mother said I might give a party for Mary
when she first came to live with us, but I wished to wait until she got
acquainted with the girls in school. Then Connie gave her dance. So I
thought it would be nice to have mine in about two weeks, after we were
settled in our classes and didn't have so much to worry us. But now I've
changed my mind. I'm going to give my party next week and I shall invite
Mignon to it You girls can help me by being nice to her and making her
have a pleasant evening. If we are really determined to carry out our
plan we will have to invite her to our parties and luncheons, too, and
ask her to share our good times. The only way we can help her is to make
her one of us. If we draw away from her she will never be different. She
will just become more disagreeable and some day we might be very sorry
we didn't do our best for her."

The eloquence of Marjorie's plea had its effect on her listeners.

"I guess you are on the right track," conceded Jerry Macy warmly. "I am
willing to try to be a busy little helper. We might call ourselves the
S. F. R. M.--Society For Reforming Mignon, you know."

This proposal evoked a ripple of laughter.

"Irma, do you suppose your mother wouldn't like you to--to--be friendly
with Mignon?" asked Marjorie anxiously. "We mustn't pledge ourselves to
anything to which our mothers might say 'no.'"

"I think I can fix that part of it," said Irma slowly. "If I explain
things to Mother, she'll understand."

"Perhaps we all ought to talk it over w