said Grace, rising and putting one finger
under Anne's chin. "Look me straight in the face and tell the truth. You
thought I'd be shocked."

Anne colored, laughed a little and then said frankly, "Yes, I was afraid
you wouldn't look at the matter in the same light. Now, I must go,
because it is after nine and sister worries if I stay out late."

"Wait, I'll go to the corner with you," said Grace.

Slipping into her coat, and throwing a silk scarf over her head. Grace
accompanied Anne into the street.

"Come as far as the next corner," begged Anne, and the two girls walked
slowly on.

"Now I must go back," said Grace, as they neared the corner.

Just then Anne exclaimed very softly, "Look, Grace, isn't that Marian
and her cavalier?"

"Where!" asked Grace, turning quickly.

"Across the street, coming in this direction. I do believe Marian is
crying, too. They are crossing now, and will pass us. I don't think
they've seen us yet."

Completely absorbed in their own affairs the approaching couple had not
noticed either Grace or Anne.

"How could I have been so foolish!" the two girls heard Marian say
tearfully.

"Don't be an idiot," her companion answered in rough tones. "You may win
yet. I had inside information that it was safe to put the money on it.
You act like a baby." Then he muttered something that was inaudible to
the listeners.

"You are very unkind, Henry," wailed Marian.

But in the next instant Henry Hammond had seen the two girls. With a
savage "cut it out, can't you! Don't let every one know your business,"
his scowling expression changed to the polite smiling mask that he
habitually wore.

But Grace, who in spite of her former disagreement with him, had for
Marian's sake favored him with a cool bow when he happened to cross her
path even after Marian had stopped speaking, was up in arms at his
display of rudeness to the girl who had cut herself off from her dearest
friends to please him.

Marian averted her face as they passed opposite the chums, but her
companion, who was preparing to bow, became suddenly disconcerted by the
steady, scornful gaze of two pairs of eyes, that looked their full
measure of contempt, and hastily turning his attention to Marian passed
by without speaking.

"Contemptible coward!" raged Grace. "Did you hear what he said, Anne?"

"I should have cut his acquaintance on the spot."

"There is something queer about all this," mused Grace. "This is the
second conve