going to tell her about them? I'm not. I know Grace Harlowe
won't. It isn't necessary for you to tell her either. It shall be a
secret among we three. I know Grace will say so."

The two girls, so strangely brought together and united in this new bond
of fellowship, talked on. It was ten minutes to twelve when they reached
New York City. At the station they were met by a tall clean-cut, young
man with keen blue eyes. "Got your wire, Kathleen." He stooped and
kissed the self-reliant Miss West, who turned very pink. "I'll have to
explain," she smiled as she introduced him to Evelyn. "Mr. Vernon is my
fiance, but don't you dare breathe it at Overton. Miss Ward won't be
able to see the persons she is to call upon until to-morrow. She's going
to my boarding house with me. You can call a taxicab and ride that far
with us." The newspaper girl's clever explanation bridged a yawning gap.

Kathleen and Mr. Vernon kept up a steady conversation during the ride.
Evelyn sat silent, trying to realize just what had happened to her. She
experienced an immeasurable sense of relief, as though she had been
dragged, just in time, from the edge of a frightful precipice. Long
after Kathleen had gone to sleep that night she lay staring into the
darkness, wide-eyed and wondering at the goodness of this girl whom she
hardly knew, and into her heart crept a sudden revelation of what true
fellowship meant and was to mean to her forever afterward.

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

The following morning Kathleen took Evelyn to call on Anne Pierson at
the Southards. She gazed almost in awe at Everett Southard, while her
feeling of admiration for Anne was deep and abiding. Her undeniable
beauty was not lost upon Mr. Southard, who later confided to his sister
and Anne that Miss Ward was the most beautiful blonde girl he had ever
seen. After an hour's chat in the actor's big, comfortable library Mr.
Southard proposed that they call upon Mr. Forest that morning. Miss
Pierson had written Miss Harlowe about the part, he declared, to the
complete mystification of both Kathleen and Evelyn. He was glad Miss
Ward had been able to come. He was sure she would be exactly suited to
the part in "The Reckoning." Kathleen managed to shoot a warning glance
at Evelyn not to betray herself. Later, by adroitly questioning Anne,
she managed to put herself in possession of all the details concerning
the letter Anne had written to Grace.

Mr. Forest quite fulfilled M