You've had a sort of fainting spell," said Ethel. "You fell, and the
heat and all made you unconscious for a while. Why did you run from us
when we called?"

With her hands upon her chain the girl looked like a frightened animal.
Something stirred Ethel's pity.

"Don't be frightened," she said, "just tell us all."

Whereupon Mattie Hastings burst into tears.

"First hand me my ring," said Ethel, "and then tell us everything."

The girl tried to unfasten the chain.

"Shall I?" asked Ethel.

Mattie nodded. Then Ethel took the ring.

"To whom does this belong?" she asked.

"Nora," faltered the girl. "Keep it please; I shall never go back. I
shall kill myself," she sobbed.

"That's silly," broke in practical Patty.

"Your father--Judge Sands--he will sentence me to prison," she sobbed,
"and I did it for Mollie. She's my sister. Her spine is broken and the
doctor said she needed food--good nourishing food. She's only eleven,
and he told father that with care she might outgrow it, especially if
she could get in some Institution for Cripples, where she could have
good attention," and the girl threw herself on her face and sobbed
brokenly.

"Now, see here," said Ethel, sitting down beside her and lefting her up,
while Patty and she supported her back.

"You tell us everything; don't keep even a tiny bit back."

"Yes," broke in Patty, "we're Camp Fire Girls and we must 'Give
Service.' Perhaps we can help you if you'll confide in us."

"Before God I will; and I'll tell you all," said Mattie.

CHAPTER XXVIII

MATTIE'S STORY

"My father is a good man. He is kind, hard-working, and gives all of his
wages to Mother. Mother has an idea that I am above my associates. She
is ambitious for me to go with the rich girls--the girls who have
position."

Ethel's heart bounded. Was not her own mother the same?

"I worked in McAllister's store. I earned six dollars a week. Three of
it I paid Mother for board. The other three, with what Father gave me,
bought my clothes; but even with that I could not dress well enough to
go with the girls as she wished me to.

"Her idea was for me to go to church and Sunday School and meet them
that way. Then poor little Mollie was knocked down by an automobile and
she has never left her bed. They were a party of joy riders, and oh! I
hate to confess it, but I've promised--my mother was one of them. She
had a cousin who was a chauffeur and he asked her to go. No one but I
kne