ay," thought Lucy stoutly, and then
a disconcerting idea came to her: supposing Alma shouldn't come to school
at all!

But Alma was there. Ada Singer, too, wearing a charming new dress and with
a head held up so stiffly that it couldn't turn to look at anybody. Frank
Morse, from his seat at the back of the room, looked curiously from one to
another of the three girls and shook his head at his book.

At the first recess Ada Singer spoke to him as he was going out. "Wait a
minute, Frank. It is so mild to-day, mother is coming for me after school
with the auto. We're going to take a long spin. Wouldn't you like to go?"

"Yes, indeed," replied Frank; "but don't you want to take Lucy in my
place?" He was a little uncomfortable.

"If I did I shouldn't ask you," returned Ada coolly.

"All right. Thank you," said Frank, but as he joined the boys on the
playground he felt still more uncomfortable.

Lucy Berry, as soon as the recess bell had sounded, had gone straight to
Alma. Her cheeks were very red, and the brown eyes were full of kindness.

Alma looked up in shy pleasure at her, a little embarrassed because she
didn't know whether to thank Lucy for the valentines or not.

The latter did not give her time to speak. She said: "I came to see if you
won't eat your lunch with me to-day."

Alma colored. How full the world was of kind people! "I'd love to," she
answered, "but I think Ada wants to have you all alone and"--

"But I'd like it if you would," said Lucy firmly, "because I want to get
more acquainted. My mother is coming to see yours on Sunday afternoon,
too."

"I'm real glad she is," replied Alma, fairly basking in the light from
Lucy's eyes. "I'd love to eat lunch with you, but Miss Joslyn invited me to
have it with her to-day."

"Oh!" Lucy's gaze grew larger. "Why, that's lovely!" she said, in an awed
tone.

They had very little more time for talk before the short recess was over.
As the children took their way to their seats, Alma was amazed to see Ada
Singer pass Lucy without a word, and even turn her head to avoid looking
at her. The child had watched this close friendship so wistfully that she
instantly saw there was trouble, and naturally thought of her invitation
from Lucy as connected with it.

At the long recess, thoughts of this possible quarrel mingled with her
pleasure in the visit with Miss Joslyn, who was a charming hostess. Many a
girl or boy came to peep into the forbidden schoolroom, when