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MARJORIE'S NEW FRIEND

BY

CAROLYN WELLS

Author of the "Patty" Books

[Illustration: "'HERE'S THE BOOK', SAID MISS HART…. 'HOW MANY LEAVES
HAS IT!'"]

CHAPTER

I. A BOTHERSOME BAG

II. A WELCOME CHRISTMAS GIFT

III. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

IV. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

V. A TEARFUL TIME

VI. THE GOING OF GLADYS

VII. THE COMING OF DELIGHT

VIII. A VISIT TO CINDERELLA

IX. A STRAW-RIDE

X. MAKING VALENTINES

XI. MARJORIE CAPTIVE

XII. MISS HART HELPS

XIII. GOLDFISH AND KITTENS

XIV. A PLEASANT SCHOOL

XV. A SEA TRIP

XVI. A VALENTINE PARTY

XVII. A JINKS AUCTION

XVIII. HONEST CONFESSION

XIX. A VISIT FROM GLADYS

XX. CHESSY CATS

CHAPTER I

A BOTHERSOME BAG

"Mother, are you there?"

"Yes, Marjorie; what is it, dear?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to know. Is Kitty there?"

"No; I'm alone, except for Baby Rosy. Are you bothered?"

"Yes, awfully. Please tell me the minute Kitty comes. I want to see her."

"Yes, dearie. I wish I could help you."

"Oh, I wish you could! You'd be just the one!"

This somewhat unintelligible conversation is explained by the fact thatwhile Mrs. Maynard sat by a table in the large, well-lighted living-room,and Rosy Posy was playing near her on the floor, Marjorie was concealedbehind a large folding screen in a distant corner.

The four Japanese panels of the screen were adjusted so that theyenclosed the corner as a tiny room, and in it sat Marjorie, looking verymuch troubled, and staring blankly at a rather hopeless-looking mass ofbrocaded silk and light-green satin, on which she had been sewing. Themore she looked at it, and the more she endeavored to pull it into shape,the more perplexed she became.

"I never saw such a thing!" she murmured, to herself. "You turn itstraight, and then it's wrong side out,—and then you turn it back, andstill it's wrong side out! I wish I could ask Mother about it!"

The exasperating silk affair was a fancy work-bag which Marjorie wastrying to make for her mother's Christmas present. And that her mothershould not know of the gift, which was to be a surprise, of course,Marjorie worked on it while sitting behind the screen. It was a mostuseful arrangement, for often Kitty, and, sometimes, even Kingdon, tookrefuge behind its concealing panels, when making or wrapping up gifts foreach other that must not be seen until Christmas Day.

Indeed, at this hour, between dusk and dinner time, the screened offcorner was rarely unoccupied.

It was a carefully-kept rule that no one was to intrude if any one elsewas in there, unless, of course, by invitation of the one in possession.Marjorie did not like to sew, and was not very adept at

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