ourse, we know that," agreed Grace. "I don't even feel hurt at her
outburst to-night. I wouldn't think of accepting her resignation from
the Phi Sigma Tau, either. We won't try to make up with her, but we'll
all keep a starboard eye upon her, and see that she doesn't come to
grief."

"I had almost reduced her to reason," remarked Anne, with a rueful
smile, "when Nora unfortunately mentioned Eleanor."

"Wasn't I an idiot, though?" asked Nora. "I forgot for the moment about
having seen them together."

"I am going to turn detective," announced Grace.

"Are you going to detect or deduct?" asked Nora solemnly.

"Both," replied Grace confidently. "I am going to become a combination
of Nick Carter and Sherlock Holmes, and my first efforts will be
directed toward finding out who and what Mr. Henry Hammond really is."

CHAPTER XVI

THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS

Grace lost no time in putting her resolution into practice, and left no
stone unturned regarding the object of her distrust. But her efforts met
with no better success than the first time she had instituted inquiry.

"Why are you so bitter against that young man, daughter?" asked her
father rather curiously when she interviewed him as to the best means of
finding out something of Henry Hammond's past. "He seems to be a good
straight-forward young fellow."

"He's a villain, I know he is," asserted Grace, "but he's too sharp for
me."

"Nonsense," laughed her father. "Having no basketball this winter you
are bound to devote that surplus energy of yours to something. Are you
making Hammond your victim?"

"You may tease me if you like," replied Grace with dignity, "but some
day you'll acknowledge that I was right."

"All right, girlie," smiled her father. "Shall I say so, now?"

"You're a dear," laughed Grace, rubbing her soft cheek against his.
"Only you will tease."

Since the evening that Marian Barber had repudiated her sorority, none
of the members had spoken to her. She had studiously avoided going
within speaking distance of them and had divided her time after school
equally between Eleanor Savelli and Henry Hammond.

Eleanor had kept her word in reference to Edna Wright, and the two girls
exchanged only the barest civilities whenever they chanced to meet.
Eleanor had, however, gained considerable popularity with a number of
the senior class, and wielded a tremendous influence over them. She had
dropped her annoying tactics toward the teachers, an