Then, as the young people rose, they each expressed some characteristic praise for the meal and indeed Mrs. Bently was almost as pleased about it as her guests had been. The bill, they found, was surprisingly small. Then, after bidding the two queer characters goodbye, the six merrymakers started up the trail with Julie again on the horse. The other girls took turns riding with her and so, at about two, they reached the Abbott cabin. Dan climbed to the back of the mare. Calling that he would soon return, he rode up the mountain toward Meg's home. How very many things had happened in the few weeks they had been in the mountains, he thought. If only Jane could be happy, Dan assured himself, he would be supremely so. But poor Jane found, as the moments passed, that she regretted more and more having sent the letter, but she would not confide this to Merry, whose suggestion it had been. Meanwhile the letter had reached its destination and had been read by Jean Sawyer. CHAPTER XXXIV. SECRETS Merry glanced anxiously at Jane when they were alone, Bob having gone with the children for a hike along the brook. "Dear," she said, slipping an arm about her friend, "you are regretting having taken my advice, aren't you?" They were in the bedroom which they shared, removing their tams and sweaters when, to Merry's surprise and grief, Jane threw herself down on the bed and sobbed as though her heart would break. "Oh, I can't bear the humiliation of it all! How I wish we could leave for the East today, this very minute. While I am here, I may meet Jean Sawyer, and if he looks at me scornfully, as of course he will, I would rather be dead, honestly I would!" Merry indeed regretted that she had asked Jane to send the letter which was causing her so much unhappiness. "Try to forget about it, Janey, just for today," she implored, "while we are celebrating your eighteenth birthday." Then an inspiration came to her and she asked: "What would your mother have done if she had had a sorrow that would sadden others if they knew about it?"