it," said Edna, "I wonder why."

"It is all that horrid Clara Adams," declared Dorothy. "She is jealous
of you because you always know your lessons and behave yourself, and she
don't like me because I go with you and won't give you up for her."

"How do you know?" asked Edna.

"I know," returned Dorothy, and then she shut her lips very tightly.

"All the girls used to like us," said Edna sadly.

"Bless your dear heart," said Agnes drawing the child to her, "I
shouldn't care. They will be sorry enough after a while, you may be
sure, and will wish they had treated you two better. Celia, we mustn't
let those little whippersnappers have it all their own way. Never you
mind, children, we'll do something, too. Celia and I will talk it over
and let you know to-morrow. You and Celia come up to our house Saturday
afternoon and we'll see if we can get Margaret and perhaps one or two
others. Now run along and let us talk over a plan I have."

The two went off joyously, arms around one another. When Agnes
championed their cause there was no more reason to be troubled, and they
finished their recess in a corner by themselves quite content.

There were not more than a dozen little girls in the class and when
half of these had gone over to the enemy, and one or two were absent it
left a very small number for Edna and Dorothy to count upon, but they
did not care after the older girls had taken up their cause, and they
cast quite as independent looks at Clara as she did at them. They would
have a secret too. "And it will be a great deal nicer than theirs,"
declared Dorothy. So when the bell rang they went back to their seats in
a very happy frame of mind.

The next day a new pupil appeared and at recess she was swooped down
upon by one of Clara's friends and was borne away, but after a while she
left the group and went back to her seat. Dorothy and Edna were out in
the school yard playing, but when they came in the new scholar looked
smilingly at Edna and after a while she made her way to where they were
standing. "Isn't this Edna Conway?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm Edna," was the reply from the little round-faced girl who
smiled at her.

"I'm Jennie Ramsey, and my mother told me to be sure to speak to you and
tell you I was at the fair last year and I was so glad when you got the
doll."

"Oh, were you there?" Edna looked pleased. "I am so glad you have come
here to school. This is Dorothy Evans."

Jennie and Dorothy smiled at