Produced by Robert Rowe, Charles Franks, Mary Meehan, DavidNewman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Grace Harlowe's Senior Year at High School
OR
The Parting of the Ways
BY JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
Author of Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School, Grace Harlowe'sSophomore Year at High School, Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at HighSchool, etc.
"Who is that Girl?"]
CONTENTS
I. A Puzzling Resemblance
II. What the Day Brought Forth
III. What Happened in Room Forty-Seven
IV. Grace Turns in the Fire Alarm
V. Nora Becomes a Prize "Suggester"
VI. The Thanksgiving Bazaar
VII. A Thief in the Night
VIII. Marian Asserts Her Independence
IX. The Judge's House Party
X. Christmas with Judge
XI. Santa Claus Visits the Judge
XII. The mistletoe Bough
XIII. Tom and Grace Scent Trouble
XIV. Grace and Anne Plan a Study Campaign
XV. The Phi Sigma Taus Meet with a Loss
XVI. The Unexpected Happens
XVII. Anne Becomes Famous
XVIII. The Theatre Party
XIX. Grace Meets with a Rebuff
XX. Marian's Confession
XXI. What Happened at the Haunted House
XXII. Grace and Eleanor Make a Formal Call
XXIII. The Message of the Violin
XXIV. The Parting of the Ways
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"Who is that Girl?"
The Girls Circled Around the Judge
Hippy Sat With A Piece of Fudge in Either Hand
Grace Held Her Breath in Astonishment
Grace Harlowe's Senior Year at High School
CHAPTER I
A PUZZLING RESEMBLANCE
"Oakdale won't seem like the same place. What shall we do without you?"exclaimed Grace Harlowe mournfully.
It was a sunny afternoon in early October, and Grace Harlowe with herthree chums, Anne Pierson, Nora O'Malley and Jessica Bright, stoodgrouped around three young men on the station platform at Oakdale. ForHippy Wingate, Reddy Brooks and David Nesbit were leaving that afternoonto begin a four years' course in an eastern college, and a number ofrelatives and friends had gathered to wish them godspeed.
Those who have read "Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School"need no introduction to these three young men or to the girl chums. Thedoings of these merry girls made the record of their freshman yearmemorable indeed. The winning of the freshman prize by Anne Pierson,despite the determined opposition and plotting of Miriam Nesbit, alsoaspiring to that honor, Mrs. Gray's Christmas party, the winter picnicthat ended in an adventure with wolves, and many other stirring eventsfurnished plenty of excitement for the readers of that volume.
In "Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School" the interestof the story was centered around the series of basketball games playedby the sophomore and junior classes for the High School championship. Inthis volume was narrated the efforts of Miriam Nesbit, aided by JuliaCrosby, the disagreeable junior captain, to discredit Anne, and forceGrace to resign the captaincy of her team. The rescue of Julia by Gracefrom drowning during a skating party served to bring about areconciliation between the two girls and clear Anne's name of thesuspicion resting upon it. The two classes, formerly at sword's points,became friendly, and buried the hatchet, although Miriam Nesbit, stillbitterly jealous of Grace's popularity, planned a revenge upon Gracethat nearly resulted in making her miss playing on her team during thedeciding game. Grace's encounter with an escaped lunatic, David Nesbit'strial flight in his aeroplane, were incidents that also held theundivided attention of the reader.
In "Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at High School" the four chumsappeared as members of the famous sorority, the "Phi Sigma Tau,"organized by Grace for the purpose of helping needy High School girls.
In that volume Eleanor Savelli, the self-willed, temperamental daughterof an Italian violin virtuoso, furnished much of the interest of thebook. The efforts of Grace and her chums to create in this girl ahealthy, wholesome enjoyment for High School life, and her repudiationof their friendship, and subsequent attempts to revenge herself forfancied slights and insults, served to make the story absorbing.
The walking expedition through Upton Wood, the rescue of Mabel Allison,an orphan, by the Phi Sigma Tau, from the tender mercies of a cruel andignorant woman with whom she lived, proved interesting reading.
The class play in which Eleanor plotted to oust Anne Pierson, the star,from the production and obtain the leading part for herself, thediscovery of the plot at the eleventh hour by Grace, enabling her tobalk Eleanor's scheme, were among the incidents that aroused anew theadmiration of the reader for capable, wide-awake Grace Harlowe.
The seven young people on the platform looked unusually solemn, and abrief silence followed Grace's wistful question. Saying good-byethreatened to be a harder task than any of them had imagined it to be.Even Hippy, usually ready of speech, wore a look of concern decidedlyout of place on his fat, good-humored face.
"Do say something funny, Hippy!" exclaimed Nora in desperation. "Thissilence is awful. In another minute we'll all be weeping. Can't youoffer something cheerful?"
Hippy fixed a reflective eye upon Nora for an instant, then recited in ahusky voice:
"Remember well, and bear in mind, That fat young men are hard to find."
There was a shout of laughter went up at this and things began to take abrighter turn.
"Now will you be good, Nora?" teased David.
"Humph!" sniffed Nora. "I knew his sadness was only skin deep."
"After all," said Anne Pierson, "why should we look at the gloomy side.You are all coming home for Thanksgiving and the time will slip bybefore we realize it. It's our duty to send you boys away in goodspirits, instead of making you feel blue and melancholy."
"Anne always thinks about her duty," laughed Jessica, "but she's right,nevertheless. Let's all be as cheerful as possible."
"I hear the train coming," cried Grace, always on the alert. "Do writeto us, won't you, boys! Please don't forget to send us some pictures ofthe college."
"Yes, don't let that new Eastman of yours go to waste, Reddy," saidNora.
"I will make Hippy pose the minute we strike the college campus,"laughed Reddy, "and you shall have the first results, providing they arenot too terrifying."
"I want pictures of the college, not the inmates," retorted Nora.
"Inmates!" cried Hippy. "One would think she was speaking of a lunaticasylum or a jail. I forgive you, Nora, but it was a cruel thrust. Herecomes the train. Get busy, you fellows, and make your fond farewells toyour families, who will no doubt be tickled pink to get rid of you for awhile."
With that he made a rush to where his father and brother stood. Davidturned to his mother and sister Miriam, kissing them affectionately,while Reddy grasped his father's hand with silent affection in his eyes.
The last good-byes were reserved for the four chums, who felt lumps risein their throats in spite of their recently avowed declaration to becheerful.
Nora shoved a white box tied up with blue ribbon into Hippy's hand justas he was about to board the train.
"It's walnut fudge," she said. "But it isn't all for you. Be generous,and let David and Reddy have some, too."
"Good-bye. Good-bye
. Don't forget us," chorused the chums as the trainpulled out, while the young men waved farewell from the open windows.
"I hope I won't be called upon to say good-bye to any more of my friendsfor a blue moon!" exclaimed Grace. "I hate good-byes. When it comes myturn to go to college I believe I shall slip away quietly without sayinga word to a soul except mother."
"You know you couldn't leave your little playmates in such a heartlessmanner," said Jessica. "We'd visit you in nightmares the whole of yourfreshman year if you even attempted such a thing."
"Oh, well, if you are going to use threats I expect I shall have toforego my vanishing act," said Grace, with a smile.
The four girls had walked the length of the platform and were about toturn in at the entrance leading to the street when Grace suddenlyclutched Anne, pointing, and crying out, "Oh, look! look!"
Three pairs of eyes were turned instantly in the direction of herfinger, just in time to see a dark blue touring car crash against a treeat the foot of the hilly street leading down to the station.
Its two occupants, the chauffeur and a woman who sat in the tonneau,were thrown out with considerable force and lay motionless at one sideof the street.
In a twinkling the four girls had reached the woman's side. Grace kneltbeside her, then sat down on the pavement, raising the stranger's headuntil it rested in her lap. The woman lay white and still, although onplacing a hand to her heart Grace found that it was beating faintly.Calling for water, she dashed it in the woman's face, without anynoticeable results.
By this time a crowd had collected and several men were busy with thechauffeur, who was conscious, but moaned as though in pain.
"Do go for a doctor, please," Grace cried to her chums. "I am afraidthis woman is badly hurt."
"Here's Dr. Gale now," exclaimed Anne as the old doctor came hurryingacross the street.
"Hello, what's the matter here?" he called. "It's a good thing Ihappened to be driving by."
"Oh, Dr. Gale, do look at this poor woman. She must have struck herhead, for she lies as though she were dead."
Kneeling beside the stranger, the doctor busied himself with her, andafter a little time the woman opened her eyes and gazed vaguely about,then again relapsed into unconsciousness.
"Whom does she resemble?" thought Grace. "Her face has a familiar look,though I am sure I have never before seen her."
"Stand back and give her air," ordered the doctor, and the circlingcrowd fell back a little.
"Grace, look out for her while I order the ambulance and see to thisman."
The doctor bustled over to the injured chauffeur, and began hisexamination.
"Broken arm," he said briefly. "Send them both to the hospital."
The ambulance proved large enough to hold both victims of the accidentand the attendant took them in charge, and signaled the driver, whoheaded for the city hospital, leaving the crowd to examine the big car.
"It's pretty badly damaged," said one man. "It must have hit that treewith a terrific crash. Skidded, I suppose."
"Come on, girls," said Anne. "There is no use in staying here anylonger. We've had excitement enough for one day."
"I should say so," shuddered Jessica. "I hope that woman doesn't die. Wemust go to the hospital to-morrow and inquire for her."
"Of course," responded Anne. "What a sweet face she had, and her eyeswere such a beautiful brown, but they haunted me. There is something sofamiliar about them."
"Why, that's just what I thought, too!" cried Grace. "Who is it sheresembles?"
"Give it up," said Nora. "Although I noticed it, too."
Jessica alone made no remark. Her face wore a puzzled frown, as thoughshe were searching her memory for something.
"Oh, well, what's the use of worrying over a resemblance," said Nora. "Iwonder what days visitors are allowed at the hospital."
"By the way, Jessica," said Anne, "where is Mabel! She usually waits foryou."
"Mabel is--" began Jessica. Then she stopped, her eyes filling withwonder, almost alarm. "Girls," she cried, her voice rising to an excitedscream. "I know who that woman resembles! She looks like Mabel Allison."