"You look awfully pretty, honey," she said then, for Grace was always
generous with praise where her friends were concerned. "I would give the
world to have a color like yours."

"Goodness," remarked Betty, turning to look at her chum, her face a little
brighter pink because of the honest compliment, "you have a lovely color--
as you very well know. Mine is too red sometimes."

"Nobody thinks that but you," said Grace, squeezing Betty's hand
affectionately while she dived down in her pocket for some candy. "The
only time I have noticed you get very red," she added, "is when some one
happens to mention a certain young gentleman by the name of Lieutenant
Allen Washburn."

Betty could feel that her face was burning, but she did not care. She was
awfully proud of Allen and desperately fond of him and for the moment she
did not care if the whole world knew about it.

"Isn't it wonderful, Grade?" she cried, her heart pounding joyously.
"About Allen being an officer, I mean. I have to pinch myself several
times a minute to make myself realize that it is really true."

"It surely is great," Grace answered slowly, adding after a moment, while
a faraway expression crept into her eyes, "I don't blame you for being
crazy about him, honey. I could almost be foolish myself. Oh, don't
worry," she went on quickly as Betty turned amazed and rather startled
eyes upon her. "I'm no fonder of Allen than I am of any of the other boys.
I just said that I didn't blame you, that's all."

Betty turned her eyes to the road once more, but in her heart she was