't know how you will explain it to Grace."

"I don't have to," said Nancy, and now she _was_ getting angry.

"Let me tell you, Miss, you will have to," cried Cora, more snappishly
than ever.

"I do not see why."

"Let me tell you Grace Montgomery is the most influential and popular
girl in our class. You'll find that out if you continue to offend her."

"I don't see how I have offended her; nor do I see how I can pacify her
if she is angry with me," returned Nancy, doggedly.

"You'd better let Bob Endress alone, then," cried Cora.

"Why! how meanly you talk," said Nancy, fairly white now with anger.

"Well! there's something very strange about how you took him right away
from us----"

"If you don't stop talking like that," Nancy answered, her eyes
blazing, "I shall not speak to you at all."

"Well, you've got to explain to Grace, then."

"I will explain nothing to her."

"Then you mean to spoil our party to-night?"

"No. It isn't _my_ party, that is evident. I'll go into some other room
while you are holding it, if that's what you want."

Cora looked at her askance. Nancy had never shown any temper before
since the term had opened. Cora did not really know whether her roommate
would do as she said, or not.

"Oh, we're not dying to have you in here. You can go to Number 38. You
know both of the girls from there will be here."

"That's what I'll do, then," answered Nancy, firmly.

"I'll tell Grace," said Cora, rather uncertainly. "Then she'll be sure
and come. Oh, she _is_ mad."

"I hope she will remain mad with me as long as we are both at Pinewood!"
cried Nancy, desperately, and then she ran out of the room to hide the
tears of anger and disappointment which she could no longer keep back.

CHAPTER XIV

HEAPS OF TROUBLE

Nancy wept as she had never wept since coming to Pinewood Hall. But she
was weeping as much for rage as for sorrow. Cora's insulting words, and
her cruelty, had lashed Nancy's indignation to the boiling point.

She _could_ spoil all their fun on this evening. She knew where all the
goodies were hidden. Most of them were in her closet, and in Cora's. And
her money had paid for every scrap that had been smuggled in from the
Clintondale caterer's and from the delicatessen store and grocery.

She could not only stop the girls from having the spread in Number 30;
but she could stop their having it at all.

However, the heat of her passion was soon over. She bathed her eyes