There were two other excited children getting ready for school that morning.  They had both slept on their troubles, but were very differently prepared to meet the day.  Ada Singer’s mental attitude was, “I’ll never give in, and Lucy Berry will find it out.”

Lucy felt comforted, but there remained now the great step of eating lunch with Alma and being punished by Ada in consequence.  Her heart fluttered at the thought; but she was going to try not to think of herself at all, but to do right and let the consequences take care of themselves.

“There isn’t any other way,” her mother said to her at parting.  “Anything which you do in any other spirit has simply to be done over again some time.”

“Not one error-fairy shall cheat me to-day,” 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.