“All right,” agreed Grace, “and Cleo dear,” with her arms around the girl at the end of the bench, “won’t you be a darling and write the letter?”

“And get lassoed?” laughed her chum.  “Well, I don’t mind.  I think he must be a very nice man, and maybe I shall adopt him for my hero.”

“You may.  I would be very glad to get rid of him,” Grace confessed.  “I was so worried all this time, and I couldn’t get a chance to tell you a word about it.”

“And I can imagine every rope you saw you just imagined was coming your way,” teased Cleo.

“Just about.  But say, girls, another thing.  Did you see that pretty girl who came in last night with the lieutenant from Franklin?”

“Oh, yes, the pretty blonde with the blue crocheted tam, I saw her.  I guess everyone did,” Madaline replied.

“Well, she was so pretty I couldn’t help watching her, and I am sure she acted awfully nervous when the flowers were sent up to Margaret.”

“She went out directly the ushers took up the bouquet,” Madaline added.  “And never came back for the ice cream,” went on Grace.  “Well, what I wanted to say is, I have seen that pretty girl before and I sort of think she was the one who used to be with the dark-eyed girl they say ran away.”

“Why, she came with Lieutenant Cosgrove, and surely wouldn’t be a companion to a runaway mill girl!” protested Madaline.

“You forget, newly second class, that we are taking in the mill girls in our troop, and are all pledged to do our best to help them,” Grace declared.  “I know more than one very nice girl in Fluffdown.  Daddy is one of the superintendents there.”

“Yes, of course,” Cleo acquiesced.  “And my daddy is in charge of the main office.”

“I am sure we should be interested in that line, and our scouting is so practical.  I understand Lieutenant Lindsley is going to call a special meeting of True Tred to make definite plans.  Some of our girls need education in social latitude, quite as much as do the mill girls, she told us last night, and, judging from the way Hattie Thompson laughed when a mill girl slipped in the mud the other day, I think some of the girls need a special course in common politeness,” said Madaline.

“There come Ben’s boys,” Grace announced.  “Let’s go out on the lawn and have a game of ‘Heel and Toe.’”

“I can’t, Grace.  I have some shopping to do for mamma, and we have been talking nearly an hour,” Cleo declared, glancing at her wrist watch.  “You stay, Madaline.  Don’t go because I have to.”

“I really must go,” Madaline also insisted.  “But be sure, Grace, that Cleo understands all about the letter,” she added.

“I will write it and call a meeting of this committee to consider it,” proposed Cleo.  “Isn’t it lovely and exciting?”

“You may think so, but I am glad I no longer have to lug that secret around all alone,” said Grace, as the girls were preparing to leave.