that among her guests there was to be a young
lady from the country who wished to apologize for intruding upon Mr.
Thornton in his room.

"It's Grace Darling!" thought Tom, exultantly. "She will be introduced
to me! And she must be of fine people to be accepted as a guest at Miss
Lee's, for the Lees belong to the _elite_ of the town. Oh, Gracie is all
right, if she is from the country!"

On the evening of the party Tom arrayed himself in his finest, used
perfumery liberally--too liberally--on his handkerchief and his clothes,
and set out with a light heart for Miss Lee's.

As old readers know, Winnie Lee and Frank Merriwell were very friendly.
As Winnie was of a lively disposition and enjoyed a joke thoroughly, it
was not difficult for Frank to induce her to aid him in carrying out his
plan.

Winnie was all the more ready to do so because she disliked Tom
Thornton, who had made himself offensive by having declared that he
could "catch" her without a struggle if he so desired, but she was not
his style.

This had been repeated to Winnie, and she had treated Thornton with the
utmost disdain since hearing it; but Frank had urged her to consent to
invite Tom to the party that the joke might be carried out, and she
finally had consented.

For a moment Thornton wondered when he received the invitation, and then
he decided that "Grace Darling" must have induced Miss Lee to offer it.

Tom little dreamed of the surprising events that were to take place
before the evening was passed.

CHAPTER XVI.

ANOTHER CHALLENGE.

Thornton found Merriwell, Diamond, Rattleton and Browning were among
Winnie Lee's guests. This he had expected, however, and he was resolved
to notice them as little as possible.

Willis Paulding was there, and Tad Horner came later, much to Tom's
surprise, as he had not known Tad had been invited.

There were a number of jolly girls, and Thornton was not long in looking
around for Grace Darling.

When Tom finally discovered her, to his disgust, she was chatting with
Jack Diamond in a cozy corner, which was almost shut off from the rest
of the room by portieres.

"Hang that fellow!" thought Thornton. "He has been introduced to her,
and he has lost no time in getting in his work."

As soon as Diamond left the girl Tom hastened to find Winnie Lee, of
whom he requested an introduction to "Miss Darling."

"Oh, yes!" said Winnie, laughing; "she spoke of you, but I had almost
forgotten. I tru