Margery rubbed her hand over her forehead. "Well," she said, "I don't see that I'd gain anything but a reputation for being a quitter, if I went to Lydia's. I'll stay with you folks, but I'll go to college, if Lydia'll stand by me." Lydia rose. "Then that's settled. On Monday we'll register. I'll meet you on the eight o'clock car." "I can't thank you, Lyd,--" began Margery. "I don't want any thanks," said Lydia, making for the door, where Dave intercepted her with outstretched hand. Lydia looked up into his dark face and her own turned crimson. "I can't shake hands," she said, "honestly, I can't. The Last Chance and the--the starving squaws make me sick. I'll stand by Margery and help you--but I can't do that." Dave Marshall dropped his hand and turned away without a word and Lydia sped from the house into the sunset. Amos heard Lydia's story of her call with a none too pleased face. "I don't think I want you mixing up with them, in any way," he said. "But let me help Margery," pleaded Lydia, "Little Patience did love her so!" "Well--Margery--you can help her," he agreed, reluctantly, "but you can't go near their house again. Margery will have to do all the visiting." CHAPTER XVII THE MILITARY HOP "Who shall say that I do not understand what the wind sings in my branches or that I am less than the white or more than the Indian?"--_The Murmuring Pine_. In spite of the fact that Levine had avoided her, after the hearing, and in spite of all the many half tragic ramifications of the reservation trouble, Lydia was not unhappy. In fact, when Registration day dawned she awoke with a sense of something good impending, sang as she dressed, and piloted Margery gaily through the complications of entering the University as a "special" student. Margery, for the first month or so, was silent and kept as close as possible to Lydia's apron strings. But Lydia had prophesied truly. No girl as beautiful as Margery could be kept in Coventry long and though she refused for a time to go to parties, it was not long before Margery was taking tramps with the college boys and joining happily enough in the simple pleasures at the cottage. Lydia did not hear from Kent until a week before the first college hop, late in October. Then she received a formal note from him, reminding her of his invitation. "Oh, Lyd!" exclaimed Margery, "aren't you lucky! I haven't seen Kent or heard from him since our trouble!" "Neither have I," said Lydia. "And I suspect he's so cross with me that he hates to keep this engagement. But I don't care. I wish I had a new dress. But I've made the sleeves small in my organdy and made a new girdle. It looks as well as could be expected!" she finished, comically. "Lydia," cried Margery, suddenly, "I've a whole closet full of party dresses I won't wear this year and you and I are just of a size, won't you wear one--take one and keep it--please, Lydia!" Lydia flushed and shook her head.