e've never
seen him at a hop."

"Now how did you learn that?" laughed Hugh.

"Oh! a little bird told me," replied the other. "Fact is, Hugh, pretty
Peggy Noland told my sister Grace Owen had asked her to be his company
to this hop, and she had accepted, because somehow she always liked
Owen."

"Whew! I wonder now how Nick Lang will feel about that?" ventured
Hugh. "You know Peggy used to have him for her company a number of
times. But I remember how annoyed she looked at the class spread when
he acted so rudely, and made everybody present wish he had stayed at
home."

"Oh! Peggy says she will never, never go anywhere again with that
terrible Nick Lang. She never did like him any too well, and now she
detests him. I only hope Nick isn't mean enough to try to pick on Owen
because Peggy's accepted his offer to take her to the barn hop."

There were so many other things pressing on Hugh's mind just then that
he did not give the matter much attention. Later on, perhaps he might
have it brought forcibly before him, and in a manner bordering on
tragedy in the bargain.

Hugh meant to take Thad into his confidence at the first favorable
opportunity. He knew his chum would never breathe a syllable of what
he told him; and possibly two heads might prove better than one in
solving what promised to be a great enigma. But the time was too short
now to even mention the matter. Perhaps later on as they chanced to
come together between the dances he would find the opening he sought to
confide in Thad. He did excite the other's curiosity, however, by
saying just before they drew up in front of the Barnes' home:

"I've got something queer to tell you, Thad, when I get the chance.
Perhaps it'll come while we're resting between dances. I've undertaken
a pretty big proposition, and I'd like to have you share it with me."

"Well, now, you _have_ got me guessing," chuckled Thad. "What a fellow
you are for undertaking big things. Nothing seems to faize you, Hugh,
Can't you just give me a little clue to feed on till you explain it
all? It's mean to stir me up like that, you know, old fellow."

"All I can tell you now," said Hugh, who had discovered some one
peeping out through the lace curtains at the parlor window, and knew
how anxious Sue must be for him to run up the steps and ring the door
bell, "is that it concerns Owen Dugdale. So just let your
curiosity-mill work on that until I can spin the whole odd yarn."