an, but to tell you
the truth, I wasn't favorably impressed with Mr. Hammond. Besides, he is
ever so much older than you are. He must be at least twenty-five years
old."

"He is twenty-nine," replied Marian coldly. "And I am glad that he isn't
as young and foolish as most of the boys I have met."

"Does your mother know how you happened to meet him?" asked Jessica
unthinkingly.

But this was a little too much. Marian rose to her feet, her voice
choking with anger. "I don't blame Eleanor Savelli for calling you
busy-bodies," she said. "And I shall be infinitely obliged to you if you
will in future look to your own affairs and stop criticizing me."

With these words she rushed from the room, seized her wraps and was out
on the street before any of the remaining girls had fully comprehended
what had happened.

CHAPTER IX

THE JUDGE'S HOUSE PARTY

"There is nothing like congenial company when one travels," remarked
Hippy Wingate, favoring his friends with a patronizing smile. "Now, when
I came home from college I was obliged to consort with such grouches as
David Nesbit and Reddy Brooks, who made me keep quiet when I wished to
speak, and speak when I fain would have slept. But, observe the
difference, all these fresh and charming damsels--"

"Charming we are, beyond a doubt," interrupted Nora O'Malley, "but
fresh--never. The only fresh person aboard is named Wingate."

"If you two are going to disagree we'll bundle you both into the baggage
car and let you fight it out," warned David. "Hippy ought to be exiled
to that particular spot for having reviled Reddy and me."

"Keep quiet, Nora," said Hippy in a stage whisper. "We are in the hands
of desperadoes."

It was a merry party who were speeding along their way to the state
capital, for a wonderful visit was to be paid and the Phi Sigma Tau and
their friends were to pay it. In short, Judge Putnam had invited them to
spend Christmas at his beautiful home in the capital city, and for eight
happy days they were to be his guests.

It was in reality Grace's party. The judge had written her, asking her
to select as many guests as she chose. She had also received a prettily
worded note from his sister, who had chaperoned them the previous summer
in the Adirondacks, and who had taken charge of the judge's home in the
capital for years.

Grace had at once invited the Phi Sigma Tau, and dispatched special
delivery letters to Hippy, David and Reddy, not forgett