rself! If Alene had helped her by
devoting herself to her, to the exclusion of the others, she felt that
she might have carried out her original program. As it was, she came
to the conclusion that Alene was too stupid to perceive her superiority.

Shortly after the dancers had sunk on a divan near the piano, Vera came
in from the library, declaring that she too wished to dance; but the
girls failed to respond to the invitation, saying they were tired.

Presently with a smile she slipped up to Alene and gave her what on the
surface seemed a playful pinch on the arm but Alene drew back with a
rueful glance while tears of pain came into her eyes, and when she
thought herself unobserved she pulled up her sleeve and found a great
bruised spot already getting black and blue.

"Oh!" the watchful Ivy commenced but she checked herself and pretended
not to have seen this little by-play. Somewhat later when Alene was
sitting beside Ivy, whose arm was around her waist, Vera came again to
Alene and with some humorous remark reached out to give her another
pinch. As Alene shrank back, Vera gave a scream and turned suddenly
away.

"Oh, that vicious Alene, she can't take a joke!" she cried, rubbing her
arm, but Hermione to whom she complained gave her little sympathy.

"Serves you right," was all she replied.

Laura, looking up from a book in which she had been absorbed, received
an expressive glance from Ivy which told her as plainly as words that
something unusual had taken place. She learned what it was when they
found themselves apart.

"Poor Alene could hardly keep the tears back and when Vera came with
that sweet, unconscious air, and reached for a second pinch, Alene put
out her hand to ward her off--at the same time mine flew up some way, I
don't know how, it seemed to go of its own accord and Vera didn't know
what had happened! Neither did Alene! I thought I'd die laughing when
she turned round to me and asked, 'What's the matter with Vera?'.
'Looks as if she had a pain,' said I--"

"She thinks it was Alene, so she won't bother her again. I've heard
the girls at school talking of the Ramsey grip! She only uses it when
she's vexed with a girl. I don't see what Alene did to her!"

"She doesn't want her to be so friendly with us," explained the
observant Ivy.

Laura laughed.

"She doesn't know that Alene is a true Happy-Go-Lucky," she said with
proud confidence.

"No, they stick together like--like postag