knocking about rather
than spoil everything. It's different with Muriel. If _she_ got mad, she
would walk off the floor and straight to Miss Archer's office, and those
girls know it."

Marjorie was silent. What Harriet said in regard to Muriel was
undoubtedly true. Since the latter had turned from Mignon La Salle to
her, she had been the soul of devotion. She had never forgiven Mignon
for her cowardly conduct on the day of the class picnic. Muriel
reverenced the heroic, and Mignon had disgraced herself forever in the
eyes of this impulsive, hero-worshipping girl.

"We had better show this letter to the other girls," Marjorie said with
sudden decision. "Come upstairs to my house. I'll hurry and dress.
Suppose you have a few more bites of breakfast with me. Your early
morning rush must have made you hungry, and you ought to be well fed, if
you expect to do valiant work on the field of battle this afternoon."

"I _am_ hungry," conceded Harriet, "and I won't wait to be urged. I'd
love to take breakfast with you." Then, lowering her voice, she asked:
"Is Mary going to the game?"

A faint wistfulness tinged Marjorie's voice as she said slowly. "I don't
know. I haven't asked her. I suppose she is, though."

Although it was whispered among Marjorie's close friends that the
unpleasant scene at her party had left a yawning gap between the two
friends, never, by so much as a word, had Marjorie intimated the true
state of affairs to any one except Constance and Jerry Macy. Not even
Susan Atwell and Muriel Harding knew just how matters stood. Harriet
remembered this in the same moment of her question, and, flushing at her
own inquisitiveness, remarked hurriedly, "Everyone in school is coming
to see us play."

"I'm glad of that." Marjorie had recovered again her usual cheerfulness,
and answered heartily. She kept up a lively stream of talk as she
completed her dressing. Tucking the letter inside her white silk blouse
she led the way downstairs to the dining room. She was slightly relieved
to see Mary's place at the table vacant. She guessed that the latter had
heard Harriet's voice and had purposely remained in her room. She had
not gone astray in this supposition. Mary _had_ heard Harriet speak and
knew only too well what had brought her to the Deans' house so early
that morning.

It was nine o'clock when Marjorie and Harriet left the house to call on
Susan Atwell, who lived nearest. Susan read the mysterious warning and
w