The following Wednesday Marjorie repeated the story of Gertie’s visit to her, just as it had happened, reserving not the slightest detail, in order that her listener might judge for himself. To her relief, he expressed only amusement.  
“I wouldn’t give it a thought, you little captain!” he said smilingly. “It was just Gertie’s way of getting back at Queenie—as she threatened her the other night.”
 
“Then you don’t think she really is seeing this young man every night in the week?”
 
“She may be; but you remember that she didn’t hesitate a single moment when Mr. Richards suggested a meeting for tonight?”
 
Marjorie had not thought of that before; it her.
 
“Still, you know she admires Mr. Richards an awful lot,” she remarked.
 
“But would she, if, as Gertie suggests, she were planning to elope with the other man?”
 
“I guess you’re right, John—I’m convinced,” admitted Marjorie happily. “Then,” she continued after a moment, “you don’t think I would better do anything—plan to meet Sam, or something like that?”
 
“Oh, I think that’s a very good idea, just on general principles, though, and not because you take anything that Gertie said seriously. How would it do for me to entertain the couple with you for dinner some night?”
 
“At home, you mean?” Marjorie. The combination of Queenie and Mrs. Hadley did not seem particularly good to her.
 
“No—at one of these little tea-houses, where we sometimes stop. We could drive somewhere in the car.”
 
“Oh, John! You’re wonderful! That’s the very thing!” Her eyes rested upon his admiringly, gratefully. “You are always me.”
 
“That’s what makes me happiest.”
 
“I wish I could do something for you,” she murmured wistfully.
 
“You could.”
 
She looked up sharply, hoping that he was not going to repeat his proposal of marriage.
 
“I’d do anything that wouldn’t with my plans for next year,” she told him.
 
“It’s only that I want you to promise not to take a job too far away—in the west or south, for instance—where I could never see you. Stay in Pennsylvania, or one of the nearby states!”
 
135“All right!” returned Marjorie immediately. “I promise.”
 
They fell to discussing the little supper party they were to have for Queenie, and Marjorie that it would be best to wait another week, lest Gertie had told the girl of her visit, and had aroused her suspicions. It must be a nice, little party; above all, Queenie must enjoy it.
 
At the next troop meeting, however, she made no mention of Gertie’s and Mame’s visit, but simply informed the troop that she had been notified of their .
 
She found the Ernsberg twins a vast improvement over the members whose places they had taken; at that very meeting they both passed their tenderfoot test, and Marjorie prepared the list for .
 
“Sunflower Troop, Number—I wonder what?” she aloud, as she folded the paper.
 
“And may we wear our uniforms next week, those that are finished?” asked Queenie, her face bright with .
 
“You certainly may,” replied the captain proudly. “And I hope you are going to pass that second-class test then.”
 
“Some of us are ready now!” Queenie announced. “We worked hard on Wednesday night, when Mr. Richards was here. Stella, Dot and me. If Annie passes next week, we can register the team in the League.”
 
“I’m a goin’ a pass it!” put in the latter, with more resolution than Marjorie had ever given her credit for.
 
There was no difficulty now in keeping the troop’s interest during the scout meetings; all of the girls seemed united in trying to learn as much as possible in as little time, in order that they might get down to the gymnasium at an early hour. , too, found them to instruct, for they were quick, apt and enthusiastic. Such rapid progress did they make at that meeting and the next, that he declared himself ready to match them against any team in the League.
 
“Oh, no! Not yet!” Queenie, suddenly growing modest.
 
“Well, we may play a few outside teams first. What would you all say to a game next Saturday night?”
 
“Swell!” cried Queenie, as usual speaking for the troop.
 
“Yes,” agreed Marjorie. “Only I do wish that some more girls would pass that second-class test, as Annie did tonight. We haven’t one, single, registered substitute.”
 
Queenie looked worried.
 
“You twins has got t’ get to work!” she commanded seriously.
 
Both girls respectfully.
 
“We’ll do that little thing for you, Queenie!”
 
It was not until after the practice that Marjorie made an opportunity to extend her invitation to Queenie. Since nothing had been said about Gertie’s visit at either meeting, she felt comparatively sure that the patrol leader had heard nothing of it. Evidently she was right, for Queenie was delighted with the invitation.
 
“Sure we’ll go!” she cried excitedly. “I’ve been wantin’ you to meet Sam, so you can tell my mother that you like him. Somehow, they can’t see him.”
 
“Why not?” asked Marjorie shrewdly.
 
“I guess because he never comes to the house. It’s always somethin’ doin with him—a ride or a show, or somethin’. They haven’t had a good look at him yet.”
 
“Do you see him often, Queenie?”
 
“Not as often as he wants,” laughed the other.
 
They set the date for the following Friday evening, arranging to meet at the settlement house, and drive off in John’s car.
 
As the time approached, Marjorie felt herself growing more and more nervous, as if she to meet this young man, lest she should find out that Gertie was right in her estimate of his character. John, noticing this as they drove to the settlement, reminded her that she was not to allow herself to be prejudiced.
 
She was impressed neither one way nor the other by MacDonald’s appearance; he was not handsome, or even striking looking, but on the other hand, he was not badly or flashily dressed. The only thing that Marjorie realized immediately was that he was older than he made himself to be—much older than the usual college student. In fact, she decided almo............