ctant consent to come to dinner at the Deans' on
the great night and dress with her for the dance. Marjorie attributed
Constance's hesitation to shyness. Always reticent regarding her home
life, Constance, aside from her one outburst relating to her family
on the day when she had advised Marjorie against her friendship, had
said little or nothing further of her home. So Marjorie did not know
that it was not a matter of shyness, but rather a question of who would
keep house and get the supper while she was out enjoying herself, that
caused Constance to demur before accepting the invitation. Then she
remembered that Hallowe'en came on Saturday and decided that she could
manage after all.

The momentous Saturday dawned clear and cold, with just the suspicion of
a fall tang to the air. It was a busy day for the Weston boys, and when
at four o'clock the last garland of green had been twined about the
gymnasium posts and the gallery railing, while the last flag had been
painstakingly hung at the proper angle, the dozen or more of young men
who formed the decorating committee viewed their work with boyish pride.

"It looks bully," shouted an enthusiastic freshman, with a sweep of his
arm which was intended to include the whole room. "If the girls aren't
suited with this, they won't be invited over here again in a hurry."

"Hear him rave!" sadly commented a sophomore. "It takes a freshman to
fall all over himself."

"That's because we are young and have more enthusiasm," retorted the
freshman, his freckled face alive with an impish grin.

"Desist from your squabbles
And join in the waltz,"

caroled an extremely tall, thin youth, pirouetting on his toes, and
waving a long trail of ground pine about his head in true premiere
danseuse fashion.

There was a shout of laughter from the boys at this burst of
terpsichorean art. The tall youth pranced and whirled the length of the
gymnasium and back, ending his performance with a swift, high kick and a
bow that bade fair to dislocate his spine.

"Did I hear someone laugh?" he asked severely, drawing down his face
with such an indescribably funny expression that the laughter broke
forth afresh. "It is evident that you don't appreciate my rare ability
as a dancer."

"You mean as a grasshopper," jeered the freckle-faced youth.

"Exactly. No, I don't either. How dare you insult me?" He made a lengthy
lunge toward the freshman, who promptly dodged behind a tall,
good-loo