Marian hesitated a moment, then burst forth defiantly.  “I suppose you girls will think it perfectly dreadful when I tell you that he introduced himself.  He came up and asked me to tell him about some of the features of the bazaar.  I did, then he went away, and after a while he came back and talked to me a long time.  He is in the real estate business, and is going to have an office here in Oakdale.  He was very much interested in the things I said to him, and when I told him about our Phi Sigma Tau he asked to be introduced to you girls.  I never supposed you’d take such a dislike to him.  I think he is perfectly splendid,” she added with emphasis.

“Well, I don’t agree with you,” said hot-headed Nora.  “And I don’t think you should have noticed him, beyond being merely civil, without an introduction.  Do you, Grace?”

“I don’t know,” said Grace slowly.  “That is a question that no one save Marian can settle.  I don’t wish to seem hateful, Marian, 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 Savell 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.