“All the more reason why I must make a desperate attempt to secure a really firm hold, so I could be as sure of them as I am of our senior patrol.”
“You’ll never be able to do that, Marj. That would be almost a miracle. But I do think you’ve done remarkably; why not be content?”
“Oh, I can’t! If that is all, then I shall have failed!”
“Better fail, as you call it, than give your life to such a tremendous struggle. Marj, do be normal! Just enjoy things while you’re young! Don’t be everlastingly aiming at the impossible.”
Marjorie laughed, but it was without heart. There was no use appealing to Lily now, indeed she ought to be thankful that her roommate had already given her so much assistance.
She knew that she had made the same promise to John—not to refer to the troop during the vacation—yet she decided to risk breaking it. If there was a possibility of his helping her, he would not want her to worry over her problem alone. So, as soon as the young men had arrived, and had heard all the details of the luncheon, and John had presented his best wishes to the couple, Marjorie sought an opportunity to talk with him in confidence. As she had hoped, she found him eager to listen.
“I have been expecting this—though I didn’t think you would see it until nearer the close of the basketball season,” he said quietly. “And I have been doing some thinking along lines of my own. I have a suggestion to offer, although you may not consider it very good. Don’t hesitate to tell me if you don’t approve.”
“Oh, thank you, John!” cried the girl, with a feeling of deep gratitude in her heart.
“Well, one day last week our wash-woman’s little girl was run over and was taken to the Children’s Hospital. She is getting along all right, fortunately, but Mother wanted me to go see her and take her some flowers and fruit. I found her in the children’s ward—the most pathetic, and yet the most marvellous place in the world.”
“Yes?” breathed Marjorie sympathetically.