phy with gentle Miss Meader, too. The latter acted
as the Madame's secretary, so she had practical use for shorthand. She
and Nancy corresponded daily in the "pothooks," as Jennie Bruce called
the stenographic signs.

Nevertheless, Nancy managed to cram into her waking hours an immense
amount of fun as well as lessons. The Madame did not believe that all
work was good for Jill, any more than it is good for Jack.

When the snow came there was sleigh-riding, class parties being made up
while the moon was big, the girls going off in great "barges," which
would hold from forty to sixty of them, and stopping at a certain
country tavern, of which Madame Schakael approved, where hot oyster
stews were served.

Then, before Lent, there was the big dance of the year, when the girls
of Pinewood Hall and the boys of the Clinton Academy mingled under the
shrewd eyes of their respective heads.

Dr. Dudley was a solemn, long-faced, stiff-looking old gentleman, with a
great mop of sandy hair brushed off his high brow, who never looked
really dressed unless he had on a tall hat and a frock coat. In dancing
pumps and a white waistcoat and tail coat he looked rather ridiculous.

And when he led out Madame Schakael--who looked like a sweet-faced
French doll--for the grand march, they really did look funny together.

But it was no stiff and formal ball after the "heads" of the two schools
were off the floor. The boys and girls had a most delightful time--even
Nancy enjoyed it, although she, like most of the freshmen, played
wallflower a good part of the time.

Nancy saw Bob Endress, but merely to bow to. He seemed always to have
his "hands full" with the older girls, or with Grace Montgomery and her
satellites. But Nancy's mind lingered upon boys very little. She danced
with other girls and had quite as good a time, she was sure, as she
should have had had Bob Endress danced every number with her.

So passed the winter and the spring, and the Easter holidays came. Nancy
had received a very prettily-worded invitation from Jennie's mother to
spend these with them.

It was the first invitation of the kind Nancy Nelson had ever received,
so you can imagine how overjoyed she was. Madame Schakael approved. Then
it was necessary to get Mr. Gordon's permission.

Nancy had thanked Mr. Gordon for the twenty-dollar bill he had sent her,
but had not heard personally from him in reply. She had broken an
understood rule, too, to write twice to