as a
consequence made such a boggle of what she had to say, that Marian,
entirely misunderstanding, exclaimed in amazement,--

"You want me to get up an April joke on my birthday, Mary? I couldn't
think of such a thing; I hate April jokes."

"No, no, you misunderstand," burst forth Mary; and then, forgetting all
her awkwardness, she made her little statement over again, and this
time succinctly and clearly. And now it was _her_ turn to be amazed; for
before she had got entirely to the end of her statement, Marian starting
up pulled a note from her pocket and cried, "Read this, Mary! read
this!"

It was Angela's cordial note of acceptance.

"And she had no invitation from _me_. I never invited her, I scarcely
knew her," went on Marian.

"She had no invitation from _you_, but she thought she had. It isn't
Angela who is playing a trick upon _you_. Somebody has played a trick
upon _her_,--has written in your name. Oh, don't you see? _She_ is the
innocent person I meant."

"But who--who is the guilty one,--the one who has _dared_ to do this?"
cried Marian.

"I can't tell you yet whom I think it is, because I haven't any proof,
and it wouldn't be fair to call names unless I had sure proof."

"Well, look here. All my notes were sealed with my monogram seal, but I
used a variety of colored wax. Everybody is interested in comparing
seals now, and so can't you make an excuse to Angela that you want to
compare the seals in the different colors, and borrow her note of
invitation, and then bring it to me? If I could see that note, I might
know the handwriting, and then I'd know who played this shabby, cruel
trick. And I ought to know, that I mayn't suspect an innocent person."

"But the note that Angela received may not be sealed with wax."

"Oh, yes, it will. Whoever sent that note had seen mine, I am certain,
and of course would use wax, as I did. Now, won't you do this little
service for me, Mary?" urged Marian, entreatingly.

Mary laughed. "Yes, I'll do it," she answered, "though I'm not very
clever at playing theatre. I've too much Quaker blood in me for that;
but it's a good cause, and I'll do the best I can, and I'll do it now,
for Angela's sure to be at home now;" and suiting her action to her
word, Mary started off then and there upon her errand.

And so surely and swiftly did she do her best on this errand that Marian
gave a little scream of surprise as she saw her coming back, and,
"You've not got it alrea