Mr. Southard and his sister to look after you, there can be no objection
to your following your profession."

"I am glad to know that you girls look at the matter in that light,"
replied Anne.

"Suppose we had offered any objections?" asked Grace.

"I'll answer that question," said Miriam. "Anne would have followed the
path she had marked out for herself regardless of our objections. Am I
right, Anne?"

"I don't know," said Anne, flushing deeply. "You have all been so good
to me. I couldn't bear to displease my dearest friends, but it would be
hard to give up something I knew could result in nothing save good for
me." Anne paused and looked at Grace and Miriam with pleading eyes.

"Never mind, dear," comforted Grace. "We approve of you and all your
works. We are not shocked because you are a genius. We are sworn
advocates of the stage and only too glad to know that it has opened the
way to college for you."

"Shall you let the fact that you have appeared professionally be known
at Overton?" asked Miriam.

"I shall make no secret of it," returned Anne quietly, "but I won't
volunteer any information concerning it."

"I wonder what our freshman year at Overton will bring us," mused Grace.
"I have read so many stories about college life, and yet so far Overton