ver Anne's
shoulder read aloud the following inscription written upon it:

"Why have imitation actors when you can get real ones?"

Anne gave a gasp.

Who could have played this cruel trick upon her? She knew her four
friends had never spoken of the happenings of Thanksgiving night, but
such secrets would leak out in spite of everything, and there may have
been others in the audience who had recognized her. Moreover, her father
himself would not have hesitated to tell who she was, so that it was not
difficult to understand how the story had spread.

But who would have the heart to hold her father up to ridicule in this
way, and to cause her such secret pain and unhappiness? While her
thoughts were busy, David had seized the doll and wrapped it up again.
He was very angry, but it was wiser to keep silent.

"What was it, dear?" demanded Mrs. Gray, who had not been able to hear
the message written on the card.

"Just a silly trick on Anne, Mrs. Gray," replied David, for Anne was too
near to tears to trust the sound of her own voice.

"Something about actors, wasn't it?" asked Julia Crosby, who was
hovering near, and before she could be stopped, she had snatched the
doll from Anne's lap. The covers fluttered to the floor and the others
pressed eagerly around to get a glimpse of it.

David leaped to his feet so vigorously that he upset a chair.

"Give that back!" he commanded. "It is not yours."

[Illustration: "Give That Back! It Is Not Yours."]

"I will not," answered Julia Crosby. "Neither is it yours."

"I say you will," cried David, furiously, losing his temper completely.

"Get it if you can!" challenged the girl, darting through the crowd with
David at her heels.

Suddenly there was a crash, a startled cry and the great fir tree with
all its ornaments and lighted candles fell to the floor.

CHAPTER XVII

AFTER THE BALL

Yes, here was the hitch that Anne had secretly dreaded and which the
other girls had anxiously hoped to avoid.

She had not dreamed what it would be, but she had felt it coming all
evening, ever since she had seen Miriam hovering near the library door.
And, in a way, Miriam was connected with the disaster. Had not Miriam's
guest and chum exceeded all bounds of politeness by prying into other
people's affairs? No doubt, as she fled from David, her dress had caught
in one of the branches of the tree and so pulled it over.

All this darted through Anne's head as she stood le