h and Mabel and
Frances. Then there are the girls at Morton House, and Constance
Fuller, and I think the freshmen at Wayne Hall are friendly."

"Perhaps they are," sighed Grace. "I hope I'm not growing pessimistic,
but I can't help feeling that the girls in our own class are not as
friendly as the upper class girls have been. I supposed it would be just
the opposite."

Miriam was on the point of saying that she wished she had been wise
enough to refuse to room with Elfreda. Then she bit her lip and remained
silent.

"I'm glad I've kept up in all my work," Grace said after they had walked
some distance in silence. "Mother will be glad and so will Father. I've
done my level best not to disappoint them, at least." She sighed, then
said abruptly, "Have you bought all your presents yet?"

"I bought some of them in New York. I shopped as long as my money held
out. Almost all the things were for the girls here. I'll have to buy my
home presents in Oakdale."

"That is just about my case," remarked Grace. "I sent Eleanor's almost
two weeks ago, and Mabel Allison's last week. And I gave Miss Southard
hers and her brother's with strict injunctions not to open them until
Christmas."

"So did I," laughed Miriam. "I forgot to mention it to you at the time.
I hope I haven't left out any one. I shall have to ask Mother for more
money, too."

The few intervening days before Christmas seemed all too short to the
students who were going home for their Christmas vacations. Interest in
study declined rapidly. Those girls who usually made brilliant
recitations distinguished themselves by just scraping through, while
those who were inclined to totter on the ragged edge unhesitatingly
confessed themselves to be unprepared. One had, of course, to decide
just what to pack, whether to take the morning or evening train and
whether it would be worth while to take one's books home on the chance
of studying a little during vacation. These were weighty problems to
solve satisfactorily, and coupled with the constant, "Have I forgotten
any one's present?" were sufficient to drive all idea of study to the
winds.

In spite of the mischief Elfreda had endeavored to make, Grace found
that she had calls enough to pay to fill in every unoccupied moment
before going home.

Late in the afternoon of the day before leaving Overton, she started out
alone to pay two calls, going first to Morton House to say good-bye to
Gertrude Wells and Arline Thayer.