soothingly. "Anne and I don't care. We'll
give a party at the same time, to our own crowd. I'll tell you what we'll
do. We will have a surprise party for Mrs. Gray. I'll write to Tom Gray
and ask him to come down for next Saturday. That will be a double surprise
to dear Mrs. Gray."

"Fine!" cried Jessica. "We'll have Hippy and Reddy and David. Then our
circle will be complete. The other crowd will be furious. Those boys are
all popular, and I know that Edna intends to invite them."

"Let's tell them at once, then," said Nora, "before the other girls get a
chance."

The boys were promptly invited. Grace sent a note to Tom Gray, who found
it possible to get away for the week end.

Reddy, Hippy and David received invitations to the other party, but
politely declined. Miriam endeavored to point out to her brother the folly
of his conduct, but David simply stared at her and said nothing. He knew
to what lengths her jealousy had carried her during the freshman year, and
although Nora had entirely omitted his sister's name from the conversation
when telling him of the recent trouble that had arisen, still David felt
that Miriam was at the bottom of it.

Failing to elicit any response from her brother, she flew into a rage and
did not speak to him for a week, while David went serenely on his way,
and let her get over it as best she might.

The surprise party proved a success. Mrs. Gray's delight at seeing her
"Christmas children" and having her beloved nephew with her was worth
seeing. The young people did all the "stunts" they knew for her
entertainment, and the boys repeated their Shakespearian performance for
the old lady, who laughed until she could laugh no more.

It was their turn to be surprised, however, when the old butler suddenly
appeared and announced that supper was served. Mrs. Gray had held a word
of conversation with him directly after their arrival, which resulted in
an array of good things calculated to tempt the appetite of any healthy
boy or girl.

After supper they had an old-fashioned "sing," with Jessica at the piano,
ending with "Home, Sweet Home" and the inevitable "Good Night, Ladies."

"I'm sure we had a better time than the other crowd," said Nora as they
all walked down the street.

"Of course," said Grace, but a little feeling of sadness swept over her as
she realized for the first time in her short life she had been slighted by
any of her school friends.

CHAPTER X

THE SOPHOM