they
with her. They thought they knew where her heart had been given, and
they counted Joe Carbrook a lucky man.

"Tell us, Marcia," said J.W., Jr., one afternoon, as the three of them
were down by the lake, "how it happens you went to the training school
instead of the normal school last year."

"That's just like a man," said Marcia. "Here am I, your awed and
admiring slave, brought on to adorn the crowning event of your
scholastic career, and you don't even remember that I finished the
normal school course in three years, and graduated a year ago!"

Marty rolled over on the sand in wordless glee.

"Aw, now, Marcia, why----" J.W., Jr., boggled, fairly caught, but soon
recovering himself. "You must have been ashamed of it, then. I do
remember something about your getting through, now you mention the fact,
but why didn't I receive an invitation? Answer me that, young lady!"

"Oh, we educators don't think commencement amounts to so much as all
that. With us, you know, life is real, life is earnest, and so forth.
But I'll tell you the truth, J.W. I knew you couldn't come, either of
you, and I was saving up a little on commencement expenses; so I left
you--and a good many others--off the list. I needed the money, that's
the simple fact; And the reason you didn't see me at home last summer
was because I was busy spending the money I had saved on your
invitations and other expensive things."

Marty usually waited for J.W., but the idea which now occurred to him
demanded utterance. "Say, Marcia, I think it's fine of you to be
studying dispensary work and first aid."

"How did you know?" Marcia demanded.

"Never mind; I saw Joe Carbrook in Chicago when we went through on our
way to the Buckland-Cartwright debate, and I guessed a good deal more
than he told me, which wasn't much."

"Marty," said Marcia, her face aglow and her brave eyes looking into
his, "there's nothing secret about it. When Joe gets through medical
school we shall go out together to whatever field they choose for him.
The least I can do is to get ready to help."

"Is that why you've been going to training school?" asked J.W. They had
so long been used to such complete frankness with each other that the
question was "taken as meant."

"Yes, J.W., it is," said Marcia. "Joe has been doing perfectly splendid
work in his medical course, and they say he will probably turn out to be
a wonderful all-round doctor--everybody is surprised at his
thoroughnes