he helped her into the car, was equally reassuring.

Mrs. Dean had ordered a light repast especially on account of Constance
and Marjorie. She had not counted on Mary, but she was a most welcome
addition. Their faithful maid, Delia, had insisted on staying up to make
cocoa and serve the supper party.

"Captain," begged Marjorie, as the three girls appeared in her room,
after going upstairs, "please let us stay up as late as we wish
to-night? We simply must talk things out. To-morrow is Saturday, you
know."

"For once I will withdraw all objections. You may stay up as late as you
please." The three girls kissed her in turn. Mary was last. Mrs. Dean
drew her close and kissed her twice. "Have you won the fight,
Lieutenant?" she whispered.

Mary simply nodded, her blue eyes misty. She could not trust herself to
speak. "To-morrow--I'll--tell you," she faltered, then hurried to
overtake Constance and Marjorie, who were half-way upstairs.

The "talk" lasted until two o'clock that morning. It was interspersed
with laughter, fond embracing and a few tears. When it ended, Marjorie's
dream of friendship had come true.

Mary had more to say than the others. She confessed to writing the
letter of warning that had so mystified the basket-ball team.

"I knew you wrote it," Marjorie said quietly. "I found it out by
comparing the paper it was written on with a letter I had received from
you. I was so glad. I knew you couldn't be like Mignon, even if you were
her friend."

"I was never her friend, nor she mine," asserted Mary with a positive
shake of her head. "I was jealous of Constance and was glad to find
someone besides myself who didn't like her. I never knew the true story
of the pin until Jerry----" She paused, coloring deeply.

"So Jerry told you. That is just like her. She is the kindest-hearted
girl in the world. Next to you two, I like her best of all my
schoolmates." Marjorie's affectionate tones bespoke her deep regard for
the stout girl whose matter-of-fact ways and funny sayings were a
perpetual joy.

"If only I had listened to you and Connie in the first place." Mary
sighed. "I've spoiled my sophomore year and tried hard enough to spoil
yours. And there's so little of it left! I won't have time to show you
how sorry I am and how much I care."

"We will begin now and make the most of what is left of it," proposed
Marjorie gently. Then she added, "Jerry didn't know all that happened
last year. I would like to