The waltz began, and as they glided around the room she was obliged to acknowledge herself that Henry Hammond’s dancing left nothing to be desired.

“Perhaps my impressions of him are unjust, after all,” thought Grace.  “I suppose I have no right to criticize him so severely, even though he was rude to me the other night.  I was rude, too.  Perhaps he will turn out—­”

But Grace’s reflections were cut short by her partner, who had stopped in the center of the hall.

“Miss Harlowe,” he said with a disagreeable smile, “you are standing directly under the mistletoe.  I suppose you know the penalty.”

Grace looked at him with flashing eyes.  “Mr. Hammond,” she replied, flushing angrily, “you purposely halted under the mistletoe, and if for one minute you think that you can take advantage of a foolish tradition by so doing you are mistaken.  When we girls coaxed Judge Putnam under the mistletoe the other night, it was merely with the view of offering a pretty courtesy to an elderly gentleman.  None of our boys would think of being so silly, and I want you to distinctly understand that not one of our crowd is given to demonstrations of that sort.”

“Miss Harlowe,” replied Henry Hammond between his teeth, “you are an insolent, ill-bred young woman, and it is plain to be seen that you are determined to misconstrue my every action and incur my enmity.  So be it, but let me warn you that my hatred is no light matter.”

“Your friendship or your enmity are a matter of equal indifference to me, Mr. Hammond,” answered Grace, and with a cool nod she crossed the room and joined Nora and Hippy, who were sitting on the stairs playing cats’ cradle with the long silver chain of Nora’s fan.

CHAPTER XIII

TOM AND GRACE SCENT TROUBLE

The time passed all too rapidly, and with many expressions of regret on both sides the judge and his youthful guests parted, two days before the New Year.

On account of the house party the Phi Sigma Tau had been obliged to postpone until New Year’s Day entertaining as they had done the previous year the stray High School girls who were far from home.  Therefore, the moment they arrived in Oakdale they found their hands full.

Mrs. Gray had been in California with her brother since September, and the girls greatly missed the sprightly old lady.  It was the first Christmas since they had entered High School that she had not been with them, and they were looking forward with great eagerness to her return in February.

Julia Crosby, who was at Smith College, had accepted an invitation from her roommate to spend the holidays in Boston, much to Grace’s disappointment, who had reckoned on Julia as one of the judge’s house party.

New Year’s Day the Phi Sigma Tau nobly lived up to their reputation as entertainers of those girls who they had originally pledged themselves to look out for, but New Year’s Night the four girl chums had reserved for a special gathering which included the “eight originals” only.  It was Miriam who had made this possible by inviting Eva Allen, James Gardiner, Arnold Evans, Marian Barber, and much against her will, Henry Hammond, to a dinner.