For a moment the young girl hesitated.  She sort of fondled the little scout badge in her hands, and might have been heard to sigh, if a girl of her severely disciplined temperament ever indulged in anything so weakly human as a sigh.

But as the fleeing girl more surely made her tracks to the station, thus leaving the other alone in the night, Dagmar, too, quickened her steps.

“Tessie,” she called finally.  “Tessie, wait.  I can’t go back now.”

That was all Tessie wanted.  She waited, and when again they took up tangled threads of their adventure it was scarcely possible either would allow any further interruptions to delay them.

And Dagmar clutched in her tightly clasped hand the lost scout badge.

CHAPTER II

WOODLAND THRILLS

It was Margaret Slowden who lost the Badge of Merit.  The pretty gilt wreath, with its clover leaf center on a dainty white ribbon hanger, had been presented to Margaret on such an auspicious occasion, that the emblem meant much more to the girl scout than its official value of rank indicated.

The True Tred Troop of Flosston had been organized one month when Margaret won the medal.  Shortly after the holidays, an event of unusual importance occurred in the mill town, when its small company of service boys returned from “Over There.”  They were royally welcomed by the entire town folks, together with the many officials of the silk industries, from whose ranks the boys had marched away.

With the lads returned was Margaret’s brother Tom.  He was handsome and a Marine, and well might Mrs. Slowden and Margaret take pride in the honor their soldier brought them.  On the night of the Great Welcome Home, the scout girls, then newly organized, assisted with ushering and attending to the platform needs of the speakers and honored heroes, each of the latter receiving a special small, gold military cross, the gift of the silk mill magnates.  This insignia was presented by the most famous authorities of army and navy available, and Tom Slowden was given the special honor of a real military presentation of the D. S. C., he being the only member of Flosston recruits to receive such a notable tribute.

As might have been expected this gave real distinction to the Welcome Home, and Margaret was suffused with pardonable pride.  But when she took her place in the check room, to attend to the coats and other belongings of the distinguished visitors—­she was forgotten by her troop, and she remained there all during Tom’s presentation.  She never heard a word of major’s wonderful speech, when the people fairly roared for Tom’s glory.  There she was, downstairs in the dark, lonely cloak room.

“Oh, my dear!” deplored Captain Clark.  “I never meant that you should stay down here at this time.”

“But it was my task,” returned the melancholy Margaret.