"

She led the way to the dining room, where a bountiful lunch awaited
them, to which, after the manner of hungry school girls, they did full
justice.

"By the way," said Grace, after they had returned to the sitting room
and were comfortably settled, "you never said one word about my freshman
prize girl. I thought you would be awfully interested in her. For the
benefit of the new members, I will say that this society was organized
with a definite object, that of helping others. We are to look after
girls who have no one to make things pleasant or happy for them. Why, do
you know that there are quite a number of girls attending High School
who come from other places, and who have to spend the holidays at their
boarding houses without any fun at all? Look at this poor, little
Allison girl. She works for her board in the winter, and in the mill in
the summer, and now that miserable Miss Brant is going to take her out
of school, and she is getting along so well, too."

"Isn't it a pity," said Anne, "that people like her can't understand
that if a girl were allowed to finish her education, she could earn so
much more in the long run than she could by working year after year in a
mill?"

"We might go to Miss Brant and explain that to her," said Nora. "Perhaps
she would listen to us."

"I don't believe so," replied Grace. "Besides, she might be very angry
and take her spite out on poor Mabel. If we could only get Mabel away
from her. But if she has legally adopted her we couldn't do anything.
Besides, where would she go if we did get her away?"

"I'll tell you what I'll do," said Jessica thoughtfully. "I'll ask papa
about it. Lawyers always know everything about such things. Maybe he
could find out if Miss Brant has any real claim upon her."

"That's a good idea," said Miriam Nesbit. "If we can get her away from
that hateful old wretch, the sorority could adopt her. She could stay
with each one of us for a month. That would be eight months, and at the
end of that time she would have finished her sophomore year. Then she
could get something pleasant to do through the summer vacation. That
would give her some money for clothes for next year. Perhaps by that
time we could find some nice people for her to stay with, or if we
liked her well enough, we could go on having her with us. I'll ask my
mother to-morrow, and you girls might do the same."

"Miriam Nesbit, what a perfectly lovely plan!" exclaimed Grace Harlowe
with