akin to pain.

The start for Assembly Hall was made at a little after seven, as the
girls were to join the senior class there, and proceed to the stage,
where the class was to sit in a body. Nearly every member of the class
carried flowers of some description that had been given to them by their
families and friends.

Grace and her chums were supremely happy in that their little social
world had turned out to do them honor. Mrs. Gray and Miss Nevin,
accompanied by Eleanor's father, were seated near the front with Mrs.
Gibson and the Southards, who had arrived at Hawk's Nest on the previous
day. Grace's father and mother, Judge Putnam and his sister, Mrs.
Nesbit, Nora's brothers and sister and Jessica's father were scattered
about through the house.

When the graduates took their places upon the stage, there was
tumultuous applause. To the citizens of Oakdale who had known the young
women from babyhood, the present class seemed the finest Oakdale High
School had yet turned out.

"Bless the dears," said Miss Thompson to Miss Tebbs, as the girls filed
past them and on to the stage. "They are without exception the most
brilliant lot of girls I have ever had charge of. But of them all there
is no one of them quite equal to Grace. She is the ideal type of all
that a High School girl should be, and when I say that I have paid her
the highest compliment in my power."

The slight difficulty that had arisen between Grace and the principal
during Grace's junior year had long since been adjusted by Eleanor, who
had gone to Miss Thompson with a frank confession of her transgressions
during her junior year. Miss Thompson had freely forgiven her and had
fully appreciated the sense of honor that had prompted the deed.

As the class was large, fifteen girls from the entire number had been
chosen to deliver essays and addresses. Among these were Anne, Eleanor,
Grace, Miriam and Nora.

"I'm just as well satisfied that I was not chosen," Jessica whispered to
Eva Allen, as Grace stepped forward to deliver the salutatory address.

"It's easy to see who is first in the hearts of Oakdale," returned Eva.
"Grace won't be able to begin this evening if they don't stop it."

The moment that Grace had risen to deliver her address the commotion
began, and it was not until Miss Thompson rose and smilingly held up her
hand for silence that the noisy reception accorded Grace died away.

Anne, as valedictorian, was only a trifle less warmly r