there," asked a girl.

"She was going to study for a teacher. Mrs. Barrington expected to keep
her after her--well, I suppose we might call it a foster-mother, died.
You see Mrs. Boyd thought the nurse mamma had was her real mother and
she felt so sorry for the baby believing the true mother had been
killed."

"Why it is a real romance."

Zaidee meant to put it on a right foundation. At school once she had, in
a way, stood up for her when Louie Howe tried to establish a
distinction. So why shouldn't she now, and always, even if she had not
taken Marguerite cordially to her heart. No one outside should offer a
slight.

"And you believe it is all true--"

"Well, I think Dr. Kendricks and Mr. Ledwith and Mrs. Barrington
couldn't all be deceived. You see, this Mrs. Boyd never knew she
belonged to us, but she thought there might be a father somewhere; and
the account of the accident tallied; there were only two babies on the
train and one was killed. Mrs. Boyd knew the baby she took was not
hers. So it is beyond any doubt."

Zaidee Crawford looked brave and beautiful and her voice would have
carried conviction anywhere, as well as disarming criticism.

"Oh, you _are_ a darling!" and two or three of the girls kissed her
rapturously.

"I wouldn't be without a sister for all the world," declared Evelyn Van
Orden, the middle one of the three girls.

The musicians were tuning up. Several of the young gentlemen stood in
the hall waiting. Mrs. Van Orden summoned them down.

It was a gay young people's party and numerous were the regrets that
Willard Crawford was to be gone for so long.

"But you'll have Vincent all next summer," he said. "And there is no
scarcity of other young fellows."

"But they go away, as well. Unless they have a fortune they cannot
afford to stay at home."

"And I have all mine to make," he returned, with mock seriousness.

It was true that at ten the music stopped, but there was some gay
chatting over the refreshments and then the carriages began to come.
They all expressed their pleasure to their hostess. Willard insisted
that they should take home two or three of the girls, and they were
nothing loth.

"But, you see, Zay is quite certain she owns him, and she gave him about
every other dance," said Sophie Lawrence, as she stood on the steps with
her sister.

When they were alone Willard reached over and took his sister's hand in
a warm clasp.

"Zay, I heard your fine defense for Ma