Below she saw the automobile and the two figures therein. Faintly
visible, too, was the upturned face of the girl, containing, presumably,
the "hungry, soulful eyes."

The next moment, plump into Tilly's lap, fell a huge pink aster.

CHAPTER XXI

GENEVIEVE LEARNS SOMETHING NOT IN BOOKS

School, in an amazingly short time, fell into its customary routine.
Genevieve, it is true, did not cease to pine for long, free hours out of
doors; but with as good grace as she could muster she submitted to the
inevitable.

Miss Hart was still not a favorite in the school, and no one seemed to
realize this more keenly than did Miss Hart herself. At all events, as
the days passed, she grew thinner and paler looking, and more nervous
and worried in her manner. While none of the Happy Hexagons deliberately
set herself to making trouble, certainly none of them tried to cause
matters to be any easier for her. The girls themselves had long since
forgotten their brief day of unpleasantness regarding O. B. J. Holmes,
and were more devoted than ever, after this, their first quarrel.

In the Kennedy home, too, matters had settled into their usual routine.
Miss Jane had returned, and the days, for Genevieve, were full of study,
practice, and the usual number of lessons in cooking and sewing.

As the crisp October days came, every pleasant Saturday afternoon found
the Hexagon Club off for a long walk or ride, sometimes by themselves,
sometimes with Harold, Charlie, O. B. J. Holmes, or some of the other
boys and girls as invited guests.

O. B. J. Holmes had long since ceased to be the "new boy." He was not,
indeed, exactly a favorite with some of the young people, but he was
included frequently in their merrymakings--chiefly because Genevieve
declared openly that she thought he ought to be. He was not called
"Oliver" except in the classroom. Outside he was known usually as "O. B.
J." slurred into "Obejay." Sometimes, it is true, Tilly's old "O Be
Joyful" was heard, but not often--perhaps because the lad appeared not
to care if they did call him that, specially if Genevieve were near to
join in the good-natured laugh with which he greeted it.

Undeniably, this frank friendliness of the most popular girl in school
had much to do with the way the others regarded him; though they were at
a loss, sometimes, to account for a certain quality in that friendship,
which they could not fathom.

"It's for all the world as if you'd known each