ing bang, which conveyed more
than words.

"Of all the hateful old tyrants!" she exclaimed, as she hurried toward
Marjorie. "I despise her. How dared she treat you so?"

"Oh, never mind," soothed Marjorie. "Let us forget her. Tell me, are you
or are you not a sophomore? Or must we go to Miss Archer to straighten
things?"

"I'm a sophomore all right enough," said Mary grimly. "I told her what
Miss Archer said, and after that she treated me more civilly. Such a
teacher is a disgrace to a school. Why is she so bitter against you,
Marjorie?"

Marjorie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. She has always acted
like that toward me. It's just a natural dislike, I suppose. Sometimes,
after a teacher has taught school a great many years, she takes sudden
likes and dislikes. I've been in her black books since my very first day
in Sanford High."

"Poor old Lieutenant." Mary patted Marjorie's hand with sympathetic
affection.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. I don't really care much. There are so many nice
teachers here who _do_ like me that I'm not going to worry over Miss
Merton. Come along." She linked her arm in Mary's. "The girls will be
waiting for us outside. We are all going down to Sargent's for ice
cream. Then we'll go home and report to Captain. After luncheon, I think
we had better walk over to Gray Gables. I am afraid Connie or, perhaps,
little Charlie is sick. You know Connie promised us, when we were there
on Friday, that she'd see us at school."

Mary's face clouded. "I--I think I won't go to Gray Gables with you. I
must write to mother. Besides, you and Constance may wish to be by
yourselves."

Marjorie's brown eyes opened wide. "Why should we?" she asked. "You know
you are always first with me. I haven't any secrets from you."

Mary's face brightened. Perhaps she had been too hasty in her
conclusions. "I wish you would tell me all about yourself and
Constance," she said slowly. "You promised you would."

"Well, I will," began Marjorie. Then she paused and flushed slightly. It
had suddenly come to her that perhaps Constance would not care to have
Mary know of the clouds of suspicion that had hung so heavily over her
freshman year. "I'd love to tell you about it now, Mary, but I think I
had better ask Constance first if she is willing for me to do so. You
see, it concerns her more than me. I am almost sure she wouldn't mind,
but I'd rather be perfectly fair and ask her first. You know Captain and
General have