hesitated.

"Yes. Or it will be a secret if you promise."

"Cross my heart, Janice," declared Stella, who loved secrets.

"Well--now," said Janice Day, most seriously, "if you invite Amy,
and she can't come because she hasn't any party dress, I'll lend
her one of mine that was made for me just before my mother died.
I am wearing only black and white. I've outgrown those new
dresses that were made for me then, I guess. And Amy is just a
weeny bit smaller than I am."

"But Janice Day! you--you're helping Amy Carringford. You're not
helping me at all!"

"Why, yes I am helping you," said Janice warmly. "At least, I am
trying to. If you will invite Amy with the rest of us girls,
I'll see that she has a party dress. I should think that was
helping you a whole lot, Stella Latham. You said you didn't want
to hurt her feelings."

The car reached the schoolhouse. Janice was out of it like a
flash with her schoolbooks and lunch. The bell was tolling.

"Now, isn't that just like Janice Day?" grumbled Stella,
following her from the automobile. "She is a sly little thing!"

Mr. Broxton Day felt much more troubled than Janice possibly
could feel about the disappearance of the treasure-box and the