Grace Harlowes Plebe Year at High School | Page 8

no reason why a rich girl like Miriam Nesbit should get it. She doesn't
need the money, in the first place; and, in the second, she's already had
enough glory to turn her head. Being beaten won't hurt her at all."
"I would rather win it," answered Anne, with passionate fervor, "than
almost anything in the world. And think of the big prize of $100! If I
could win that----" Words failed to express her enthusiasm and she
paused and clasped her hands.
"Oh, well, we won't expect that of you," replied Grace, "Nobody could
be expected to pass a perfect examination. That's an impossible
achievement."
"I shall try, anyway," said Anne in a low voice.
Just then they were joined by a young man of about eighteen, who
lifted his hat politely to them.
"May I walk with you?" he asked of Grace. "You seem to be going my
way this morning."
"Certainly, David, we are going your way. We are lunching with your
next door neighbor, Mrs. Gray. But you must let me introduce you to

Miss Pierson. Anne, this is Mr. Nesbit, Miriam's brother."
Anne flushed at the mention of Miriam's name and bowed distantly to
the newcomer, who was a junior at the High School and quite
grown-up to the young freshmen.
David Nesbit, like his sister, was tall, dark and handsome; but unlike
her, he was quiet and unassuming. He, too, stood at the head of his
classes, but he was not athletic, as Miriam was, and spent most of his
time in the school laboratory, experimenting, or working at home on
engines and machinery of his own contriving.
However, there was nothing snobbish in David's attitude. He greeted
Anne as cordially as he had the others.
"We never see you now, David," continued Grace. "You are always so
busy with your inventions and contrivances. What is the latest? A
flying machine?"
"You guessed right the very first time," replied David. "It is just that."
"Really?" laughed the girls, incredulously, while Anne's eyes grew
large with interest.
"Shall you fly around Oakdale in it?" asked Jessica.
"Oh, we are not building big ones yet," answered David. "These are
little fellows. Models, you know. The big ones may come later. Six of
the junior and senior fellows have been working on them all summer.
We started it in the manual training course. After we had learned to
hammer things out of silver, and do wood carving and a few other little
useful accomplishments, I suggested a flying machine to Professor
Blitz and he fell to it like a ripe peach. It was too late to do anything
last spring except talk, however. But we are almost ready now, after our
labors this summer."
"Ready for what?" demanded Grace. "If you are not going to fly
yourselves."

"For our exhibition. Why don't you come and see it at the gym. next
Friday night?"
"We can't. We aren't invited," answered Nora, tossing back her saucy
little curls.
"I'll invite you," said David. "This will admit four young ladies to the
High School gym.," he continued, taking out a card and writing on it,
"At 7.30 Thursday evening."
"Then everybody isn't invited?" demanded Jessica.
"No, not everybody," replied David. "Just a chosen few. And you must
be sure to come, too, Miss Pierson," he added, turning to Anne, who,
all this time, had been silently listening to the conversation.
"I should love to," she answered, giving him a grateful glance.
"I'll leave you here," said David, turning in at a graveled driveway that
led to the Nesbit house, a very large and ornate building standing far
back from the street in the midst of a well-kept lawn.
"I wish Miriam would take a few lessons in manners from her brother,"
murmured Grace, when they were out of hearing distance.
"He is certainly one of the nicest boys in High School," said Jessica.
"If he only played football!" said Grace, with a sigh.
"And danced," added Nora.
"I don't know how to dance, nor did I ever see a game of football," said
Anne.
"Meaning that Mr. David suits you, Miss Anne," said Grace teasingly.
"It was nice of him to ask me, too," was all Anne said in reply.
"How do you do, my dears?" said Mrs. Gray, a few moments later,

when John, the aged butler, ushered the girls into the long,
old-fashioned parlor. "You are most kind to come and cheer up a lonely
old woman. I shall expect you to be very gay and tell me all the gossip
of the Oakdale High School, the four of you."
"Luncheon is served, ma'am," announced John, whereat the sprightly
old lady led the way to the dining room.
Over the delicious broiled chicken and other good things they discussed
the affairs