father.
With my dearest love. Write soon.

"Yours always,

"Marjorie."

Marjorie folded, addressed and stamped her letter, then catching her
hat from the hallrack ran out the front door to overtake her mother who
had walked on ahead.

"I finished my letter to Mary," she held it up for inspection, "and I've
something to report, Captain."

"I am ready to hear you," smiled her mother, as they walked on arm in
arm.

For the second time Marjorie related her little adventure, ending with
her resolve to learn to know and befriend, if necessary, the girl who
looked like Mary. Nor did she have the slightest premonition of how much
this readily-avowed championing of a stranger was to cost her.

CHAPTER IV

SANFORD'S LATEST FRESHMAN

"Will you tell me the way to the principal's office, please?"

A clear voice broke in upon the conversation of two girls who had paused
before the broad stairway leading to the second floor of the Sanford
High School for a last word before separating for their morning
recitations.

At the sound of the soft, interrupting voice, which contained a touch of
perplexity in its tones, both girls turned quickly to regard the owner.
They saw an attractive little figure, wearing a dainty blue cloth gown,
which was set off by hand-embroidered cuffs and an open rolling collar
of sheerest white. From under a smart blue hat escaped a wealth of soft,
brown curls, while two brown eyes looked into theirs with an expression
of appeal that brought forth instant reply.

"Miss Archer's office is the last room on the east side of the
second-floor corridor. I am going there now and shall be glad to show
you the way," was the quick response of the taller of the two girls,
accompanied by a cheery smile that warmed Marjorie Dean's heart and made
her feel the least bit less of a stranger in this strange land which she
was about to explore.

"Thank you," she returned gratefully, trying to smile in an equally
friendly manner.

Marjorie's first day of school had begun far from propitiously. She had
not reckoned on making her initial appearance in Sanford High School
alone. It had been planned that her mother should accompany her, but
when Monday morning came, her beloved captain had awakened with a
racking headache, which meant nothing less than lying in bed for a long,
pain-filled day in a darkened room.

Torn