"Nora, come here," commanded Mrs. Gray.
Nora obeyed with a shyness entirely foreign to her. Putting her finger under Nora's rounded chin, Mrs. Gray looked smilingly into the piquant face. Then she drew the girl within her circling arm and kissed her. Grace, Miriam, Anne and Jessica followed suit.
"Now it is your turn, Jessica and Reddy," said Nora pointedly.
Jessica's pale face grew scarlet. She looked appealingly toward Reddy, who sat beside her, then they rose and, taking her hand in his, Reddy said with a world of affection in his voice, "Jessica has promised to marry me in the fall." Jessica and Reddy were immediately surrounded.
"Will surprises never cease?" exclaimed Grace, regarding her betrothed friends with loving eyes. "Now I begin to believe that we have really grown up."
"You haven't," retorted Tom Gray in a low tone which Grace alone heard.
"Give me a year or two in which to do my work, and perhaps I will," said Grace softly.
"Do you really mean that, Grace?" asked Tom eagerly.
"I think I do, Tom," hesitated Grace, "but I can't promise you what you wish, yet."
"By the low, significant tones over in Grace's corner I imagine another engagement is about to be announced," remarked Hippy, grinning broadly. All eyes were immediately turned upon Grace and Tom.