ected toward herself, she would not have cared
at all, and could conceive of no reason why Jo should be hurt.

Josephine raised her brows languidly and smiled sweetly. "Renee laughs
at sentiment," she said. "What is it that Shakespeare says about jesting
at scars because you never felt a wound?"

"If I ever do show wounds," cried Renee, "they will not be ones made by
a tin soldier with a toy pistol. It will take a cannon ball to make me
know that I've been touched."

She sailed out of the room, her head high and her heels coming down with
some show of feeling. Erma burst into a fresh peal of laughter.

"Isn't Renee dear and doesn't she say the most brilliant things? I often
wished I could be witty. All I can do is to laugh at the jokes which
other girls make."

"Why wish to be witty?" asked Josephine. "You're so sweet and womanly
and tender."

"Am I all that?" cried Erma and she laughed again. "I must go and tell
Mame. She has known me for years and has never suspected that I am all
that."

She hurried away. Jo yet lingered.

"I had a letter from Cousin Rob Vail," said Helen to Hester. "He is
coming down Saturday morning in the touring-car with Aunt Harriet and
you and I are invited to take a ride and then have dinner down in the
city. Aunt Harriet is disappointed that she has never been able to meet
you. So be prepared to meet the sweetest woman in the world."

"Mrs. Vail is so sweet!" cried Jo. "I never look at her but there comes
to my mind the picture of the 'Mater Dolorosa,' she's so sad and
pensive."

"She looks sad," said Helen, "but I never knew livelier company. One
cannot be dull with her. She has a sorrow which passes comprehension,
yet, she never worries another with it. She has trained herself to take
an interest in others."

"Saturday!" Hester cried and began prancing about the room. "Two days
until Saturday. I wonder how I shall ever be able to wait until then."

The bell for luncheon rang and the girls moved from the room. As they
passed down the corridor, a number of the girls spoke to Helen about the
loss of her pin and expressed the belief that it had only been mislaid
and would be found.

A number had seen and discussed it. Sara spoke of this. "It was so
peculiar and unusual that anyone who finds it will know it is yours."

Hester walked ahead without taking part in the conversation. It came to
Helen then that her little roommate had shown no interest whatever and
had not assisted i