slike. She is frivolous and empty-headed, and Eleanor is
self-willed and lawless. Put them together, and they will make a bad
combination. As to the other two girls, they are sworn friends of
Edna's."
"I think," said Nora, "that our reform movement is about to end in a
glaring fizzle."
"How can we reform a person who won't have anything to do with us?"
asked Jessica scornfully.
"Let us hold her place in this sorority open for her, and let us make it
our business to be ready to help her if she needs us," said Anne
thoughtfully. "Like all spoiled children, she is sure to get into
mischief, and just as sure to come to grief. Mark my words, some day
she'll be glad to come back to the Phi Sigma Tau."
CHAPTER IX
THE RESCUE PARTY
It was with mingled feelings of excitement and trepidation that Grace
Harlowe and Jessica Bright hurried toward the office of the latter's
father the following afternoon. Now that they were fairly started on
their mission of rescue, they were not quite so confident as to the
result. To be sure they had unlimited faith in Jessica's father, but it
was so much easier to talk about taking Mabel away from Miss Brant than
to do it.
"I'm terribly afraid of facing her," confided Jessica to Grace. "She is
the terror of Oakdale, you know."
"She can't hurt us," said Grace. "Your father will do all the talking.
All we need to do is to take charge of Mabel, after Miss Brant gives her
up."
"Well, young ladies," said Mr. Bright, as the two girls entered his
office, "I see you are prompt in keeping your appointment. Let us go at
once, for I must be back here at five o'clock."
"What are you going to say to that terrible woman, papa?" shuddered
Jessica as they neared the Brant home. "I'm afraid she'll scratch your
eyes out."
"Am I really in such serious danger?" asked Mr. Bright in mock alarm.
"I am glad I brought you girls along to protect me."
"You haven't any idea what a crank she is, Mr. Bright," laughed Grace.
"She fairly snarled at us the other day, when we were coming from
school, because she said we were taking up the whole sidewalk. Poor
little Mabel, no wonder she has a scared look in her eyes all the time."
"Well, here we are," responded Mr. Bright, as he rang the bell. "Now for
the tug of war."
As he spoke the door was opened by Mabel, who positively shook in her
shoes when she saw her visitors. "Don't be frightened," whispered Grace,
taking her hand. "We have come
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