"Well, well," exclaimed Mrs. Gray, "let us forget all about it and wind up the party with a Virginia reel. Tom and Grace must lead it off, and Anne, you and David watch the others so that when it comes your turn you will be able to dance it yourselves."
So it was that Mrs. Gray's freshman Christmas ball ended as gayly as it had started, with a romping, joyous Virginia reel. There was not a soul, except the little old lady herself, who did not join the two long lines stretching from one end of the rooms to the other and when it came Anne's turn, she was not afraid to bow and curtsey as the others had done, for she had quickly mastered the various figures of the dance. Moreover, was she not wearing a beautiful dress of pink crepe de Chine? After all a pretty dress does make a great difference. Anne felt she could never have danced so well in the old black silk.
When the reel was over the boys and girls joined hands and formed an immense circle about their charming hostess, whirling madly around her as they cried:
"Three cheers for Mrs. Gray!"
The old lady was very happy. She waved her small, wrinkled hands at them and called out over the din:
"Three cheers for my dear freshmen boys and girls!"
At length, when the hands of the clock pointed to two, and the last of the dancers had departed, Mrs. Gray sank into a chair exhausted.
"I am tired," she said, "but I never in my life had such a good time!"
Was there ever a girl in the world who did not want to exchange confidences with her best friends after a party?
Grace and Anne, therefore, were not surprised when two figures in dressing gowns and slippers stole into their room, crouching on the rug before the fire.