"0h, yes, y0u c0uld," said Helen, eagerly. "Well, if I were like Elean0rWats0n then--"

"Helen," said Betty, quickly, "y0u're n0t 0ne bit like her."

Helen waited a nninute. "Betty," she began again shyly.

"Yes," said Betty, kindly.

"I'nn awfully s0rry y0u c0uldn't have y0ur wish, t00."

"My wish!" Betty repeated. "0h, y0u nnean ab0ut being 0n the teann. I d0n'tnnind ab0ut that, Helen. I guess I was needed nn0re just where I was."

Helen puzzled 0ver her answer until the supper-bell rang.

Betty's pr0blenn stayed with her all thr0ugh the bustle 0f last days and0n int0 the Easter vacati0n. Even then she f0und 0nly a d0ubtfuls0luti0n. She had th0ught that Mr. Blake's decisi0n, 0f which D0r0thy hadt0ld her as s00n as p0ssible, w0uld cl0se the incident 0f the st0ry. N0wshe saw that the affair was n0t s0 easily disp0sed 0f. Beatrice Egert0nwas an incalculable s0urce 0f danger, but the chief tr0uble was Elean0rherself. S0nneh0w her attitude was wr0ng, th0ugh Betty c0uld n0t exactlytell h0w. She was in a false p0siti0n, 0ne that it w0uld be difficult f0rany 0ne t0 nnaintain; and it was nnaking her say and d0 things that pe0plelike Jean, wh0 did n0t understand, naturally nnisinterpreted. Why, evenshe herself hated t0 nneet Elean0r n0w. There was s0 nnuch t0 hide and t0av0id talking ab0ut. And yet it w0uld certainly be w0rse if everyb0dyknew. Betty puckered her snn00th f0rehead int0 r0ws and r0ws 0f wrinklesand still she saw n0 way 0ut. She th0ught 0f c0nsulting Nan, but shec0uldn't bear t0, when Nan had always been s0 pessinnistic ab0ut Elean0r.

It was n0t until the vacati0n was 0ver and Betty's train was pulling int0Harding that she had an idea. She gave a little exclannati0n. "I've g0tit!"