n she knocked at Genevieve's door.

"Why, Elsie!"

"Genevieve, I've come to say--I can't go," choked Elsie.

"Why, Elsie, are you sick?"

"Oh, no; it's--clothes. Genevieve, I simply haven't anything to wear."

"Nonsense, dear, of course you have! We don't have to dress much for
this thing. Where's your white linen or your tan or your blue?"

"The white is too soiled, and the other two have worn places that show."

"But there's your chambray--that isn't worn."

Elsie shook her head.

"But I can't--that, truly, Genevieve. It's got worse and worse every
day, until now _anybody_ can tell Cora and Clara apart!"

Genevieve choked back a laugh. She was frowning prodigiously when Elsie
looked up.

"I'll tell you, Elsie, I've got just the thing," she cried. "Wear my
white linen--it's perfectly fresh, and 'twill fit you, I'm sure."

Elsie's face turned scarlet.

"Oh, Genevieve! I wouldn't--I couldn't! I'd never, never do such an
awful thing," she gasped. "Why, what _would_ Aunt Kate say?--my wearing
your clothes like that! Oh, I never thought of your taking it that way!
Never mind--I'll fix something," she choked, as she turned and fled down
the hall, leaving a distressed and almost an angry Genevieve behind her.

For some minutes Genevieve busied herself with her own toilet, jerking
hooks and ribbons into place with unnecessary force; then she turned
despairingly to Mrs. Kennedy, whose room she was sharing.

"Aunt Julia, what's the use of having anything to give, if folks won't
take it when you give it?" she demanded, irritably.

"Not having followed your thoughts for the last five minutes, my dear, I
fear I'm unable to give you a very helpful answer," smiled Mrs. Kennedy,
serenely. And Genevieve, remembering Elsie's shamed, red face, decided
suddenly that Elsie's secret was not hers to tell.

Half an hour later Mr. Hartley marshaled his party for the start.

"You're a brave sight," he declared, smiling into the bright faces about
him. "You're a mighty brave sight; and I'll leave it to anybody if even
the boys in line to-day will make a finer show!"

The Happy Hexagons laughed and blushed and courtesied prettily; and only
Genevieve knew that the smile on Elsie's face was a little forced--Elsie
was wearing the green chambray.

There was an awed "Oh-h!" of wonder and admiration when Mr. Hartley's
party came in sight of the great parade grounds at Fort Sam Houston.
There was a still deeper, longer, louder "Oh