“But the note that Angela received may not be sealed with wax.”

“Oh, yes, it will.  Whoever sent that note had seen mine, I am certain, and of course would use wax, as I did.  Now, won’t you do this little service for me, Mary?” urged Marian, entreatingly.

Mary laughed.  “Yes, I’ll do it,” she answered, “though I’m not very clever at playing theatre.  I’ve too much Quaker blood in me for that; but it’s a good cause, and I’ll do the best I can, and I’ll do it now, for Angela’s sure to be at home now;” and suiting her action to her word, Mary started off then and there upon her errand.

And so surely and swiftly did she do her best on this errand that Marian gave a little scream of surprise as she saw her coming back, and, “You’ve not got it already?” she cried, running to meet her.

“Yes, here it is.  Angela gave it to me at once.”

“Just the size of my paper, and the wax—­you see I was right.  There is wax, and a seal-stamp that looks like my stamp, but isn’t,” exclaimed Marian.  “Now for the handwriting!” One glance at the address on the envelope; then, pulling out the note, she bent breathlessly over it for a moment.  In another moment she was calling out triumphantly:  “I know it!  I know it!  She tried to imitate mine, but I know these M’s and r’s and A’s.  They’re Nelly Ryder’s! they’re Nelly Ryder’s!  Look here;” and running to her desk, the excited girl produced another note, and placed it beside the one that Angela had received.  It was Nelly Ryder’s acceptance of her invitation; and Mary, looking at the peculiar M’s and r’s and A’s saw as clearly as Marian herself the proof of the same hand in each note.

“And I should know her ‘hand’ anywhere, for I’ve had hundreds of notes from her, first and last,” Marian went on.  “But to think of her playing such a trick as this!  I never had any admiration for her, or her cousin either; but I didn’t think either one of them could do such a mischievous, vulgar thing.  But you did, Mary, for this is the girl you suspected.”

“Yes, because I had known more of her than you had,—­going to school with her every day;” and then Mary told what she had known, and what she had seen herself, winding up with, “But I didn’t like to tell you all this before I had certain proof, for I wanted to be fair, you know.”

“And you have been fair, more than fair; and now—­”

“Well, go on, what do you stop for—­now what?”

“Wait and see;” and Marian nodded her head, and compressed her lips into a firm, resolute line.

“Oh, Marian, are you going to punish Nelly?” cried Mary, a little alarmed at these indications.

Marian nodded again.

“Yes, I’m going to punish her.”

“Oh, how, when, where?”

“When?  On Thursday night.  Where?  At the birthday party.  How?  Wait and see.”

CHAPTER III.