“I don’t know yet,” replied Anne slowly.  “She seems charming.  She must be awfully clever, too, to know so many languages, but——­”

“But what?” queried Nora.

“Oh, I don’t know just what I want to say, only let’s proceed slowly with her, then we’ll never have anything to regret.”

“Come on, girls,” said Jessica impatiently.  “Let’s hurry.  You know we promised to meet the boys as soon as school was over.”

The girl chums walked out of the study hall, each with her mind so full of the new girl, who had so suddenly appeared in their midst, that the proposed call upon Miss Thompson was entirely forgotten.

CHAPTER II

CONFIDENCES

“I am the bearer of an invitation,” announced Anne Pierson as the four girls collected in one corner of the locker-room during the brief recess allowed each morning.

“Mrs. Gray wishes to see us all at four o’clock this afternoon.  We are to dine with her and spend the evening, and the boys are invited for the evening, too.  So we will have just time enough after school to go home and dress.”

“You had better meet at my house, then,” said Grace, “for it’s on the way to Mrs. Gray’s.  Good-bye.  Be sure and be there at a quarter of four at the latest.”

Promptly at the appointed time the girls hurried up the Harlowe walk.  They were met at the door by Grace, who had been standing at the window for the last ten minutes with hat and gloves on, impatiently waiting their arrival.

As they neared Mrs. Gray’s beautiful home, Anne said in a low tone to Grace, who was walking with her, “I suppose Mrs. Gray has a double motive in asking us up here to-day.  I believe she wants to talk to us about Eleanor Savell.  Miss Nevin called on Mrs. Gray yesterday and they were in the parlor together for a long time.  After Miss Nevin had gone, Mrs. Gray told me that Miss Nevin was anxious that Eleanor should associate with girls of her own age.  That is the reason she brought her to Oakdale.”

“Hurry up, you two,” called Nora, who had reached the steps.  “How you do lag to-day.”

“You will hear more of this later,” whispered Anne.

Mrs. Gray stood in the wide hall with hands outstretched in welcome.  She kissed each girl affectionately, but her eyes lingered upon Anne, who was plainly her favorite.  The old lady had become so accustomed to the sympathetic presence of the quiet, young girl that it seemed, at times, as though her own daughter had come back to her once more.

“Come right into the library and make yourself comfy,” cried Mrs. Gray cheerily.  “I spend most of my time there.  The view from the windows is so beautiful, and as one grows old, one resorts more and more to book friendships.”

“What shall we do with you, Mrs. Gray, if you keep on insisting that you are old?” said Grace.  “You’re not a day older at heart than any of the rest of us.  Here, sit down in this nice, easy chair, while we take turns telling you just how young you are.”