. It seemed to Nancy as though
she never would tire with such a partner. And she forgot that the girls
Bob had deserted might be offended with her. For once--a tiny, short
hour--Nancy Nelson was perfectly happy.

Until the distant chime in the tower of Pinewood Hall warned the girls
that they must go in, Nancy and Bob skimmed over the ice to the envy of
less accomplished skaters. Nancy came back to the boathouse all in a
glow, after promising to meet Bob the next afternoon on the river.

There were Grace Montgomery and Cora, and Belle Macdonald, and the
others of their clique, taking off their skates. Nancy felt so happy
that she would have made friends, just then, with almost anyone.

She flung off her skates and smiled at the other girls. She smiled at
Samuel when she asked him, to sharpen them against the next afternoon,
and tipped him for his trouble.

But whereas the under gardener smiled in return and praised her skating,
the girls stared at her as though she were a complete stranger. Grace
turned her back contemptuously. Cora scowled blackly.

And when she was back in Number 30, West Side, making ready for supper,
her roommate came in noisily, tossed her skates on the floor, and burst
out with:

"Well! you're a nice girl, _you_ are!"

"What's the matter now?" asked Nancy, with more courage than usual.

"I should think you'd ask!"

"I _do_ ask," said Nancy.

"Well, you've just about spoiled my--our--party."

"How?"

"You know well enough," snapped Cora.

"I do not," declared Nancy. "I have done nothing."

"Oh, no! Just walking off with Bob Endress and keeping him all the
afternoon. Why, Grace is his cousin--and she'll never forgive you."

It was on the tip of Nancy's tongue to say she didn't care; but instead
she remained silent.

"I had the hardest work to coax her to come to-night," went on Cora.

This was the evening marked for the spread in Number 30.

"I do not see that I have done anything to you girls," said Nancy, with
some warmth. "I happened to know Bob Endress----"

"How did _you_ come to know Bob? He never said anything about it,"
snapped Cora.

"Well, I can assure you we were acquainted."

"It's certainly very strange," said the other girl, suspiciously.

"I don't see that it is anybody's business but our own," Nancy Nelson
returned, with growing confidence. "And I did not mean to offend either
you or Miss Montgomery."

"It's very strange."

"Not at all."

"Well, I don