the conversation she had been carrying on with
Francis, and had entirely forgotten that she might ever have had any
claim to feel abused. For another thing, Peggy knew more than she
should, if Logan had kept his promise.

"Won't--won't you come in?" she asked inadequately. "And please tell
me what you mean."

"Mean! I mean I know all about it!" said Peggy, who was sixteen only,
in spite of her goddess-build, and romantic.

She came in, nevertheless, holding tight to Marjorie as if she might
faint, unaided; guided her to the downstairs couch, and sat down with
her, holding tight to her still.

"Yes," said Marjorie, with a certain amount of coldness, considering
that she was being regarded as an abused lamb, "you said that before.
And now please tell me what it is that you know all about."

"Well, if that's the way you take being defended," said Peggy with a
certain amount of temper, "I'll just go back the way I came!"

"But, Peggy, I don't know anything about it!" she pleaded. "Please
tell me everything."

"There's nothing much to tell," said Peggy, quite chilly in her turn.
But now she had more to face than Marjorie. Francis, militant and
stern, strode down the steps and planted himself before the girls. He
fixed his eye on Peggy in a way that she clearly was not used to stand
up under, and said, "Out with it, Peggy!"

So Peggy, under his masculine eye, "made her soul."

"It's nothing that concerns you, Francis Ellison!" she began. "It's
simply that I've learned how a man can treat a woman. And you--you
that I've known since I was a child! And telling me fairy-tales of
bold kidnapers and cruel husbands and all, and I never knowing that you
were going to grow up and be one!"

Marjorie laughed--she couldn't help it, Peggy was so severe. Francis
looked at her again in some surprise, and Peggy was plainly annoyed.

"I should say," said Francis with perfect calm, "that our honorable
friend Mr. Logan had been confiding in you. His attitude is a little
biased; however, let that pass. Just what did he say?"

"Just nothing at all, except that you were a charming young man, and he
wished that he were as able to face the world and its problems as you,"
Peggy answered spiritedly. "None of your insinuations about his honor,
please. And shame on you to malign a sick man!"

"Oh, is Mr. Logan sick?" asked Marjorie, forgetting other interests.
She turned to Francis, forgetting their feud again, in a common a