PAGE Marcia turned to stare out of the window at the house opposite _Frontispiece_ Cecily Marlowe passed them by without a look 49 They heard Cecily's light footsteps 83 "I'm going to ask Miss Benedict if we can't open these shutters," cried Janet, suddenly 105 In the sudden light of the open door she stood revealed 125 "Words on two bracelets are identical," replied Lee Ching, precisely 157 "Child, I suppose you wonder very much at this queer life I lead" 171 "Sydney must have come in again; I hear him practising!" 257 THE GIRL NEXT DOOR CHAPTER I MARCIA'S SECRET "Marcia Brett, do you mean to tell me--" "Tell you--what?" "That you've had a secret two whole months and never told me about it yet? And I'm your _best_ friend!" "I was waiting till you came to the city, Janet. I wanted to _tell_ you; I didn't want to _write_ it." "Well, I've been in the city twelve hours, and you never said a word about it till just now." "But, Janet, we've been sight-seeing ever since you arrived. You can't very well tell secrets when you're sight-seeing, you know!" "Well, you might have given me a hint about it long ago. You know we've solemnly promised never to have any secrets from each other, and yet you've had one _two whole months_?" "No, Jan, I haven't had it quite as long as that. Honest! It didn't begin till quite a while after I came; in fact, not till about three or four weeks ago." "Tell me all about it right away, then, and perhaps I'll forgive you!" The two girls cuddled up close to each other on the low couch by the open window and lowered their voices to a whisper. Through the warm darkness of the June night came the hum of a great city, a subdued, murmurous sound, strangely unfamiliar to one of the girls, who was in the city for the first time in all her country life. To the other the sound had some time since become an accustomed one. As they leaned their elbows on the sill and, chins in hand, stared out into the darkness, Marcia began: "Well, Jan, I might as well commence at the beginning, so you'll understand how it all happened. I've been just crazy to tell you, but I'm not good at letter-writing, and there's such a lot to explain that I thought I'd wait till your visit.