“I like her immensely,” agreed Grace.  “Do you know whether Ruth accepted the invitation, Gertrude?” she asked suddenly.

“Arline said she thought Ruth wanted to go with her, but was too loyal to the other girl to even intimate any such thing,” replied Gertrude.

Five minutes later the two students had exchanged good-byes and Grace was on her way to Ruth’s with Gertrude’s words ringing in her ears.  Several weeks ago she had invited Ruth to go with her to Oakdale for the holidays.  At first Ruth had demurred, then accepted with shy gratitude.  The three Oakdale girls had become greatly attached to Ruth, and Anne, in particular, had looked forward to taking her home with them.  Grace had purposely forestalled Anne in inviting Ruth, because she had decided in her mind that her facilities for entertaining were greater than Anne’s.  She had managed so adroitly, however, that Anne had never even dreamed of her real motive in inviting the lonely little girl.  Now, there was Arline Thayer’s invitation to be considered.  Grace suspected that Ruth secretly worshipped dainty little Arline.  She would have died rather than admit to the girls who had been so good to her that she could find it in her heart to care more for another Overton girl than for them.  “I’m sorry, of course,” Grace murmured to herself as she hurried along through the shadows, “but I’m going to make her accept Arline’s invitation.  She can go home with us at some other time.”

She rang the bell at the dingy old house where Ruth lived, was admitted by the tired-faced landlady and ran upstairs two at a time.  Ruth’s door stood partly open.  Grace heard Arline Thayer say regretfully, “You are sure you can’t go, Ruth?”

Then she heard Ruth say, very quietly:  “I am quite sure I can’t.  I promised Grace first.”

Without waiting to hear more, Grace walked briskly into the room, saying decisively, “Of course she can go, Arline.”

“Why, Grace Harlowe, where did you come from?” exclaimed Arline, her blue eyes opening wide with surprise.

“From downstairs,” laughed Grace.  “Just in time, too, to make Ruth change her mind.  Now, Ruth, tell us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Wouldn’t you rather go to New York City with Arline than to Oakdale with us?”

Ruth flushed.  “That isn’t a fair question,” she protested.  “It isn’t because I care more about going to New York than Oakdale.  It is——­” she hesitated.

“Because you care more for Arline than for us,” finished Grace calmly.  “I understand the situation, I think.  Your friendship for Arline is growing to be the same as mine for Anne.  Naturally, you’d rather be with her than with any one else.  Now, Arline, I’ll leave her in your hands.  We wouldn’t have her go to Oakdale with us if she begged on her knees to do so,” concluded Grace.

“Grace Harlowe, you’re a dear!” exclaimed Arline, catching Grace’s hand in both of her warm little palms.  “I just love you.  Next to Ruth, I think you are the nicest girl at Overton.  Thank you a thousand times for being so nice over Ruth.  Now, you simply must go,” she announced, turning to Ruth.