CHAPTER XIV
GRACE AND ANNE PLAN A STUDY CAMPAIGN
With the delights of the past holiday season still fresh in theirmemories, the pupils of Oakdale High School went back to their studieson the fourth of January, and in the course of a few days everything wasagain in smooth running order.
Semi-annual examinations were but three weeks away, and that meant ageneral brushing up in studies on the part of every pupil.
The senior class had, perhaps, less to do in the way of study than thethree lower classes. A few of the seniors already had enough credits toinsure graduation, although the majority expected the results of theJanuary examinations to place them securely among the number to begraduated.
The members of the Phi Sigma Tau, with the exception of Anne, were amongthe latter, and had settled down to a three weeks' grind, from which noform of pleasure could beguile them.
As for Anne, she had carried five studies the entire time she had beenin High School and had never failed in even one examination. She mighthave graduated a year earlier had she been so disposed.
Away down in her heart Anne cherished a faint hope that the way for acollege career would yet be opened to her. She had made up her mind totry for a scholarship, and she prayed earnestly that before the close ofher senior year she might hit upon some plan that would furnish themoney for her support during her freshman year in college.
Grace was optimistic in regard to Anne's college career.
"You'll have some opportunity to earn money before the year is out, justsee if you don't," she said to Anne one day at recess, when the latterhad developed an unusual case of the blues. "If you just keep wishinghard enough for a thing you are pretty sure to get it. That is, if it'ssomething that's good for you to have."
"I've been wishing for the same thing ever since I came to Oakdale, andI haven't got it yet," replied Anne rather mournfully. "I've beenunusually short of money this year, too, because Mrs. Gray has beenaway, and the money I received from her work was a great help."
"Poor little Anne," said Grace sympathetically. "I wish you didn't haveto worry over money. However, Mrs. Gray will be home in February, andyou'll have her work until June."
"But even so, I can't have the use of it myself," was Anne's response."I shall have to use it at home. We need every cent of it."
"Oh, dear," sighed Grace. "Why doesn't some one appear all of a suddenand offer you a fine position at about fifty dollars a week."
"Yes," said Anne, laughing in spite of her blues. "That is what reallyought to happen, only the day for miracles is past."
"At any rate, I have always felt that you and I were going to collegetogether, and I believe we shall," predicted Grace.
"I hope so, but I doubt it," replied Anne wistfully. "By the way, Grace,do you recite in any of Marian Barber's classes?"
"No," said Grace, "not this term. Why?"
"She is in my section in astronomy," answered Anne, "and lately shefails every day in recitation. You know it's a one-term study, and shewill have to try an exam in it before long. I don't believe she'll pass,and she told Nora at the beginning of the year that if she failed in onestudy this year she wouldn't have enough credits to get through andgraduate."
"Oh, she'll pull through, I think," said Grace. "She is really brilliantin mathematics, and always has kept up in other things."
"I know," persisted Anne, "but she has finished her mathematics' group,and her studies this year are things she doesn't care for, andconsequently left them until the last. We wouldn't want a Phi Sigma Tauto fail, you know."
"I should say not," was Grace's emphatic response. "What shall we doabout it?"
Anne pondered for a little. "We might take turns coaching her. We haveall passed in astronomy. I don't know how she is in her other studies,"she said. "Do you suppose she'd be angry if we proposed it to her?"
"I don't know," said Grace doubtfully. "She hasn't been to the last twoPhi Sigma Tau meetings, and she is awfully cool to me. That's because Idon't approve of Henry Hammond. To tell you the truth, I believe heabsorbs her attention so completely that she doesn't have time for herstudies."
"It's a pity her mother is away just at the time when Marian needs hermost," Anne remarked.
"Yes," said Grace. "You know I asked her to come and stay with me, whenwe came back from the judge's, but she refused rather sharply, andpractically told me that she was able to take care of herself."
Just then the gong sounded, and the girls had no further opportunity todiscuss the subject until school closed for the day, then while waitingin the locker-room for Nora and Jessica, the talk was again renewed, andafter swearing Anne to secrecy, Grace imparted to her the conversationbetween Marian and Henry Hammond that she and Tom had overheard on NewYear's Night.
"I was so uneasy about it that I went all around town the next day tosee what I could find out about him. I didn't get much satisfaction,however. He claims to be a real estate agent, and Mr. Furlow in theFirst National Bank says that he has interested a number of Oakdalecitizens in land in the west. He is well liked, and it's surprising theway the business men have taken him up," concluded Grace.
"Perhaps what you heard him say to Marian was nothing of importanceafter all," said Anne.
But Grace shook her head obstinately. "No, Anne," she answered, "myintuitions never fail me. Henry Hammond is a rascal, and some day Ishall prove it. As for Marian we'd better have a meeting of the PhiSigma Tau to-morrow night and especially request her to be present. Thenwe'll all turn in and offer to help her get ready for the exams. Herecome the girls now."
Nora, Jessica, Miriam and Eva Allen entered the senior locker-roomtogether.
"Where's Marian?" asked Grace.
"You'd never guess if we told you," exclaimed Nora. "I never was moresurprised in my life."
"Why? What's the matter?" asked Anne and Grace together.
"Who is the last person you'd expect to see her with?" asked Jessica.
"I don't know," said Grace. "Edna Wright?"
"Worse," was Nora's answer. "She's up in the study hall with EleanorSavelli."
"Eleanor Savelli?" echoed Grace. "Why she is Marian's pet aversion."
"Past history," said Miriam Nesbit. "They appear to be thicker thanthieves."
"I don't at all understand what ails her, but listen, girls, while Itell you my idea," and Grace rapidly narrated her plan of action.
"I foresee trouble, but I'll be on hand," said Miriam.
"We'll all be there!" was the chorus.
"Remember, Eva," were Grace's parting words, "I rely on you to coaxMarian over to your house, then we'll surround her and make her acceptour services."
"All right," responded Eva. "I'll do my best. Be careful what you sayabout Henry Hammond, or your mission may be in vain."
Grace Harlowe's Senior Year at High School Page 14