“Wasn’t I an idiot, though?” asked Nora.  “I forgot for the moment about having seen them together.”

“I am going to turn detective,” announced Grace.

“Are you going to detect or deduct?” asked Nora solemnly.

“Both,” replied Grace confidently.  “I am going to become a combination of Nick Carter and Sherlock Holmes, and my first efforts will be directed toward finding out who and what Mr. Henry Hammond really is.”

CHAPTER XVI

THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS

Grace lost no time in putting her resolution into practice, and left no stone unturned regarding the object of her distrust.  But her efforts met with no better success than the first time she had instituted inquiry.

“Why are you so bitter against that young man, daughter?” asked her father rather curiously when she interviewed him as to the best means of finding out something of Henry Hammond’s past.  “He seems to be a good straight-forward young fellow.”

“He’s a villain, I know he is,” asserted Grace, “but he’s too sharp for me.”

“Nonsense,” laughed her father.  “Having no basketball this winter you are bound to devote that surplus energy of yours to something.  Are you making Hammond your victim?”

“You may tease me if you like,” replied Grace with dignity, “but some day you’ll acknowledge that I was right.”

“All right, girlie,” smiled her father.  “Shall I say so, now?”

“You’re a dear,” laughed Grace, rubbing her soft cheek against his.  “Only you will tease.”

Since the evening that Marian Barber had repudiated her sorority, none of the members had spoken to her.  She had studiously avoided going within speaking distance of them and had divided her time after school equally between Eleanor Savell and Henry Hammond.

Eleanor had kept her word in reference to Edna Wright, and the two girls exchanged only the barest civilities whenever they chanced to meet.  Eleanor had, however, gained considerable popularity with a number of the senior class, and wielded a tremendous influence over them.  She had dropped her annoying tactics toward the teachers, and her conduct during the year had been irreproachable.

Anne Pierson’s assertion that Eleanor would be better off away from Edna had proved true, and unconsciously the spoiled, temperamental girl was receiving great benefit from her High School associations.  She stood next to Anne Pierson in her classes, and her aptitude for study and brilliant recitations evoked the admiration of the entire class.

But despite these changes for the better, Eleanor still nursed her grudge against the Phi Sigma Tau, and held to her unrelenting resolve to be revenged upon them, individually or collectively, whenever the opportunity should arise.

In cautioning her friends the previous year against placing themselves in a position liable to put them at a disadvantage with Eleanor, Grace had unwittingly divined the former’s intentions.