is true-blue, eh, Bob?" he said patting his daughter affectionately.
"You knew what I meant about the man Anderson, did you not, Tavia?" he
went on. "That was your 'special friend' I believe."

"Oh, I have met him," replied Tavia laughing, "but I think now the
reason the old squire wanted to get me into this trouble was because he
thought it might affect Dorothy Dale, as she is my special friend.
Somehow the Burlock-Anderson affair seemed to be aimed at the Dales."

"Oh, yes, no doubt of it," answered Mr. MacAllister, "but we think we
are on the track of settling the matter now."

Tavia felt she could scarcely wait to tell all this to Dorothy, for she
had been wondering what had become of the Anderson affair. Alice looked
proudly up at her father as they neared the school.

"They may think you have come to take someone else away," she said
laughing. "This has been a queer picnic day."

"Don't worry about that," he answered. "You must have an extra good time
to make up for your troubles and disappointment, I will see what I can
do for you."

Alice cast a meaning glance at Tavia. If her father undertook to give
Dalton school a treat it would surely be something worth while, Alice
was sure, and so, with that bright prospect uppermost in her mind, she
led her father into the school room.