“Not in our wildest nightmares,” Miriam Nesbit gravely assured her.

“Anne will be home to-morrow,” cried Eva Allen.  “I’m so glad it’s Saturday.  We can celebrate.  Will you come to my house?”

“We will,” was the united answer.

“We’ll all go to the train to meet Anne,” planned Grace.  “Then we’ll give her about one hour to get acquainted with her family.  After that we’ll rush her off to Eva’s, back to my house for supper (mother expects all of you), and then up to Mrs. Gray’s.”

“Poor Anne,” said Marian Barber, “I can see her being carried home on a stretcher.”

“We will meet at the station,” directed Grace, as she left them.  “Be there at 8.15.  Don’t one of you fail to be there.”

As Anne Pierson stepped off the 8.15 train the next morning after an all-night ride, she was surrounded by seven laughing girls and marched in triumph to David Nesbit’s big car, which Miriam used at her own pleasure during her brother’s absence.

The eight girls managed to squeeze into it, and drove to the Pierson cottage with all speed.  Here Anne was set down, told to make the most of her hour with her family and to be prepared upon their return to say good-bye to home for the rest of the day.

The programme outlined by Grace was carried out to the letter.  The joy of Mrs. Gray at again seeing her adopted children was well worth witnessing.

“I don’t know how I ever managed to stay away from you so long!” she exclaimed, as she looked fondly about her at the smiling, girlish faces.  “How I wish you might all have been with me.  I should have returned sooner, but dreaded the winter here.  I do not thrive here—­during these long, cold Oakdale winters.  It is because I—­”

Grace placed a soft hand upon Mrs. Gray’s lips.  “I can’t allow you to finish that sentence,” she laughed.  “You are sixty-two years young, and you must always remember it.”

The old lady laughed happily at Grace’s remark, then under cover of general conversation said to her, “I am greatly surprised to see Eleanor here.  How did it all come about?  You never mentioned it in your letters.”

“I know it,” replied Grace, “I wanted to save it until you came home.  I have been out to ‘Heartsease’ several times, too, and am quite in love with Miss Nevin.  May Anne and I come to-morrow and have a good long gossip?  You must hear all about Anne’s triumphs in New York.”

“Come and have dinner with me,” replied Mrs. Gray.

“That will be fine,” returned Grace.  “We two are the only ones in the crowd who don’t happen to have previous engagements, so the girls won’t feel hurt at not being included.”

“We are so glad that you came home in time for the concert,” said Miriam Nesbit.  “It is the last entertainment the senior class will have a chance to give.  We hope to make a nice sum of money to add to the thousand we already have.”

“I have not added my mite to your fund yet,” said Mrs. Gray.  “But now that I’m home I shall busy myself immediately with my High School girls.  When and where is the concert to be held?”