usual time with no intention
whatever of honoring the High School with her presence. She passed the
morning in the various stores, lunched in town and went to a matinee in
the afternoon. In this manner she idled the days away until the holiday
vacation came, congratulating herself upon her success in pulling wool
over the eyes of her long-suffering aunt.

But a day of reckoning was at hand, for just before the close of
vacation Miss Thompson chanced to call at Mrs. Gray's home while Mrs.
Gray was entertaining Miss Nevin, and the truth came out.

When Miss Nevin confronted her niece with the deception Eleanor had
practised upon her, a stormy scene had followed, and Eleanor had accused
Grace Harlowe of telling tales to Mrs. Gray, and Mrs. Gray of carrying
them to her aunt. This had angered Miss Nevin to the extent that she had
immediately ordered Eleanor to her room without telling her from whom
she had received her information.

For three days Eleanor had remained in her room, refusing to speak to
her aunt, who, at the end of that time, decreed that if she did not at
once apologize roundly and return to school her violin and piano would
both be taken from her until she should again become reasonable.

In the face of this new punishment, which was the severest penalty that
could be imposed upon her, Eleanor remained obdurate. Her violin and
piano were removed from her room and the piano in the drawing room was
closed. Still she stubbornly held out, and it was not until the day
before the beginning of the new term that she went to her aunt and
coldly agreed to comply with her wishes, providing she might have her
violin and piano once more.

Aside from this conversation they had exchanged no words, and Eleanor
therefore entered school that morning still believing the Phi Sigma Tau
to be at the bottom of her misfortune.

In spite of her recent assertion that she could not forgive Eleanor,
Grace's resentment vanished at sight of her enemy's humiliation. A
public apology was the last thing that either she or her friends
desired. Her promise to Mrs. Gray loomed up before her. If Eleanor
really did believe the Phi Sigma Tau innocent, then perhaps this would
be the opportunity for reconciliation. After a little thought, she tore
a sheet of paper from her notebook and wrote:

"DEAR ELEANOR:

"The members of the Phi Sigma Tau are very sorry
about your having to make an apology. We did not