questions. And then and there,
little, blue-eyed Mary Raymond made her first mistake, and sowed a tiny
seed of discord in her jealous heart that was fated later to bear bitter
fruit.

CHAPTER IV

INTRODUCING MARY TO THE GIRLS

"We've come for a last inspection, Captain. How do we look?"

Marjorie Dean danced into her mother's room, her brown eyes sparkling
with anticipation, her charming face all smiles. Mary Raymond followed
her excited chum.

"Halt! Company, attention!" commanded Mrs. Dean, as she turned from her
dressing table to pass an opinion upon the waiting brigade of two. Her
brown eyes rested approvingly upon the trim figures drawn up in their
most soldierly attitude before her. Marjorie's frock of pink linen, with
its wide lace collar and cuffs, exactly suited her dark eyes and hair,
while Mary's gown of pale blue of the same material served to accentuate
the fairness of her skin and the gold of her curls.

"Shall we do, Captain? Are we absolutely spick and span?" Marjorie
turned slowly about, then made a laughing dive at her mother and
enveloped her in a devastating embrace.

"Now see the havoc you've wrought," complained Mrs. Dean. "I shall have
to do my hair over again. Never mind. I'll forgive you, and, being
magnanimous, will state that I am very proud of the appearance of my
army."

"You're a gallant officer and a dear, all in one." Marjorie caught her
mother's hand in hers. "Now, we must be on our way. We are going to
school early because Mary will have to see Miss Archer. Besides, I'm
anxious for her to meet Jerry Macy and some of the other girls. If only
she had come to Sanford sooner, I'd have loved to give a party for her.
Then she'd know every one of my friends. Oh, well, there is plenty of
time for that. Good-bye, Captain. We'll be back before long. There is
never very much to do in school on the first day."

Dropping a gay little kiss on her mother's smooth cheek, Marjorie left
the room, followed by Mary, who stopped just long enough to kiss Mrs.
Dean good-bye.

Three weeks had slipped by since Mr. Raymond and Mary had come to
Sanford upon the so-called mysterious mission that had made Mary Raymond
a member of the Dean household. They had returned to the city of
B---- the following day. From there Mr. Raymond had gone directly to the
mountains, for his wife, who, in spite of her ill-health, had insisted
on returning to her home to oversee the making of Mary's gowns and the