tle cut such as only an umbrella point
could give. It never touched the fence!" Vera's grumbling came to a
sudden pause--"Oh say, Alene, I didn't know you had company!"

"I had no chance to tell you on the way in."

"No, Vera gives no one a chance when she has a grievance to air!" said
Hermione. "Howdy'do, girls!"

She crossed the room and sat beside Ivy and Laura. Vera took an easy
chair near the table, somewhat apart from the group, and gave all her
attention to the careful removing of her kid gloves. The conversation
with her mother as to the manner in which to meet her poorer
schoolmates in society was fresh in her mind. Now was the opportunity
to act upon her convictions. She resolved to be very cool in her
treatment of Laura and Ivy.

The other girls chattered away, apparently unmindful of her
abstraction. Alene was showing them some sheet music which had come in
the mail a few days before.

"Here's the new Raindrop two-step. How appropriate for to-day," cried
Hermione. "Have you tried it yet?"

"Yes, it's real sweet! Would you like to come into the music room and
hear it?"

They all assented, and presently from the little room opening off the
library came the notes of a piano.

"I'd like to try the step," said Hermione, "if only there was someone
to dance with!"

"Where's Vera?"

"Sulking in the library, I guess. Come, Laura, won't you?"

Laura hesitated until Ivy joined in, "Do, Lol! She dances beautifully,
Hermione, only she--she won't sometimes," and as the two girls paired
off, "When I'm along she seems to think I'll mind it more because--"

"Yes, I know," returned Alene, slipping her hand from the keyboard to
give Ivy's brown fingers a sympathetic squeeze.

"But I won't let her; I don't want to be a _bete noire_ to my friends!"
said Ivy, leaning her head against the piano and letting her eyes stray
from Alene's nimble fingering to the graceful swaying of the girls in
the dance. Around the room they circled, out along the hall, and
presently back again through the library.

CHAPTER XI

TAFFY PULLING

Vera found that being cool was very dull. Besides, it had no effect
upon the others. As time went by and the gay strains of the piano
mingled with talk and laughter filled the air, and the dancing began,
and the two girls whirled by, their twirling skirts almost brushing
hers, it dawned upon her that she was being left out in the cold! Her
coolness was reacting upon he