Grace and Eleanor, and it was afterwards discovered that the land in
which he had persuaded certain guileless citizens to invest money had
proved worthless. The swindled ones joined forces and put the matter in
the hands of a detective, but to no purpose, for no clue was found to
his whereabouts.

The strong box was turned over to the girls and the money, which
amounted to five hundred and ten dollars, was deposited in Upton Bank
with the five hundred that had caused Marian Barber such anxiety and
sorrow.

The thief whom Grace had assisted in capturing was found to be a noted
crook, known to the police as "Larry the Locksmith," on account of his
ability to pick locks. He was tried and sentenced to a number of years
in the penitentiary, and departed from Oakdale stolidly refusing to
furnish the police with the identity of his "pal."

Easter was drawing near, and Grace was radiantly happy. Anne, whose
engagement had stretched into the eighth week, would be home the
following day. Mrs. Gray was looked for hourly and the boys were coming
from college on Monday.

"We certainly will have a reunion," Nora O'Malley exclaimed joyously, as
she banged her books on the window sill of the senior locker-room to
emphasize her remark.

"It seems good to have Grace with us once in a while," declared Jessica.
"Her police court duties have kept her so busy that she has deserted her
little playmates. Have you been asked to join the force yet, Grace!" she
asked, trying to look innocent.

"That isn't fair, Jessica," retorted Grace, laughing. "I appeal to you
girls," turning to the other members of the Phi Sigma Tau, who had one
by one dropped into the locker-room. "Can you imagine me in the garb of
an Oakdale policeman?"

"Not in our wildest nightmares," Miriam Nesbit gravely assured her.

"Anne will be home to-morrow," cried Eva Allen. "I'm so glad it's
Saturday. We can celebrate. Will you come to my house?"

"We will," was the united answer.

"We'll all go to the train to meet Anne," planned Grace. "Then we'll
give her about one hour to get acquainted with her family. After that
we'll rush her off to Eva's, back to my house for supper (mother expects
all of you), and then up to Mrs. Gray's."

"Poor Anne," said Marian Barber, "I can see her being carried home on a
stretcher."

"We will meet at the station," directed Grace, as she left them. "Be
there at 8.15. Don't one of you fail to be there."

As Anne Pierson stepped off