ur later,
she delivered her Easter invitation. To Grace's satisfaction, she
accepted without a protesting word. She remembered only that Jean, the
hunter, had known her father and she had a wistful desire to take old
Jean by the hand for her father's sake. Arline had promised to spend
Easter with Grace, but her father had planned a trip to the Bermudas for
her and Ruth. Realizing that it would be best for Ruth to go to Oakdale,
she cheerfully put aside her own personal desire for Ruth's
companionship and urged Ruth to go home with Grace.

Elfreda had accepted Laura Atkins's invitation to spend Easter with her,
and was already convulsing the three Oakdale girls with excerpts from
conversations to take place, supposedly, between herself and Laura's
learned father. "I have been reading up a lot on the pterodactyl and
ichthyosaurus and other small, playful animals of the beginning of the
world variety," she confided to Miriam. "I expect to astonish him."

"I am reasonably sure that you will," was Miriam's mirthful reply. "I
wish you were coming home with me, instead."

"So do I." Elfreda's shrewd eyes grew wistful. "I know I'd have the best
time ever if I went home with you, but I feel as though I ought to go
with Laura. She would have been so disappointed if I had refused her
invitation. That sounds conceited, doesn't it? But you can see how
things are, can't you?"

"I can, indeed," returned Miriam, and the significance of her tone left
no doubt in Elfreda's mind regarding her roommate's understanding of
things.

CHAPTER XXII

GRACE'S PLAN

The Easter vacation slipped away at the same appalling rate of speed
that had marked the passing of all Grace's holidays at home. There were
so many pleasant things to do and so many old friends to welcome her
return to Oakdale that she sighed regretfully to think she could not
possibly accept one half of the invitations that poured in upon her from
all sides.

Nora and Jessica had come from the conservatory to spend Easter at home,
so had the masculine half of the "Eight Originals Plus Two." Then, too,
the Phi Sigma Tau, with the exception of Eleanor Savelli, had renewed
their vows of unswerving loyalty, and their numerous sessions ate up the
time. There was one day set aside, however, on which the little clan had
paid a visit to Jean, the old hunter, and Ruth had experienced the
satisfaction of seeing and talking with a man who had been her father's
friend. The old