Altogether it was a vacation long to be remembered, and the four originals separated with the glad thought that the next time they met it would be months instead of weeks before their little company would again set their faces in opposite directions.

The night after their return to Overton, Grace, after having made a conscientious effort to study, threw down her history in despair.  “I know a great deal more about the history of Oakdale than I do about the history of Rome,” she sighed.

“I wish I had never heard of trigonometry,” returned Anne, shutting her book with a snap.  “I can’t think of anything except the good time we’ve had.  Home has completely upset my student mind.”  She rose, laid down her book and walked listlessly toward the window.  It had been an unusually warm day for early spring and the night air had that suspicion of dampness in it that betokens rain.  “It will rain before morning,” she declared.  “There isn’t a star in sight and the moon has gone behind a cloud.”

Grace joined Anne at the window.  The two girls stood peering out into the darkness of the spring night.  “I feel as though I’d like to go out and walk miles and miles to-night,” declared Grace.

“So do I,” agreed Anne.  Then glancing back at the clock, she remarked, “It’s twenty minutes past ten.  Too late for us to go now.  We can go to-morrow night, can’t we?”

Grace nodded.  “We’ll get our work done early, or, better still, we can go walking early in the evening and study when we come back.  I wish you’d remind me that I must call on Mabel Ashe this week.  In fact, all three of us ought to go over to Holland House.”

The next day, however, Anne remembered regretfully that she had promised to help a troubled freshman through the mazes of an especially trying trigonometry lesson, while Miriam had a theme to write which she had neglected until the last minute, and had to rush through on record time.

“You’re a set of irresponsible young things who don’t know your own mind from one minute to the next,” laughed Grace.  “As I can’t very well go walking alone, I’ll make my call on Mabel.”

Directly after dinner she set out for Holland House and Mabel’s delighted:  “I’m so glad you came, Grace.  Where have you been keeping yourself?” sounded very sweet to Grace, who adored Mabel and outside of her own particular chums liked her better than any other girl she knew at home or in college.  The two young women were deep in conversation when a rap sounded at the door.  Mabel opened it, looked inquiringly at the girl who stood outside and exclaimed contritely:  “Oh, Helen, I’m so sorry I forgot all about you.  I’ll get ready this minute.  Come in.  Miss Harlowe, this is Miss Burton.  Grace, I wonder if you will mind making a call to-night.  I promised Helen I’d take her down to Wellington House and introduce her to a junior friend of mine who plays golf.  Helen is a golf fiend.”