"I've struck her all right!" he told himself. "I mustn't let it slip. I'll improve the opportunity." So he talked to her in his most fascinating manner, and was bold enough to express a hope that he might see her again, to which she replied that he "might." And when she left Tom was in a state of delighted satisfaction, thoroughly pleased with himself. Thornton was inclined to boast of his conquests, and it was not long before he had told several of his friends about the "corking pretty girl" who had wandered into his room. "And I caught her without a struggle," he declared repeatedly. "Country girl and rather unsophisticated; but a regular rustic rose--no, a regular daisy. Cousin of some fellow over in South Middle. Her name? Never mind. I am not giving things away. She is going to stay down a week, and gave me her promise that I should see her again. But she intends to be strictly proper, although she does not know much of city ways, for she declared that I must be properly introduced to her before she would make an appointment with me. Oh, it's dead easy when you know how!" Tad Horner was Thornton's roommate. "Grace Darling" had chosen an occasion when Tad was not in, and thus had found Tom alone. Tom boasted of his conquest to Tad, who grinned and tried to chaff him about his charming country girl. "Did she have hayseed in her hair?" asked Tad. "It's not that kind of a lady, Horner. They'll all be envious of me. She is a stunning blonde, and her innocent country ways make her all the more attractive. She has such eyes--and such teeth! Her lips are very inviting, my dear boy. It's just the sort of a mouth a fellow longs to kiss. And if I do not sip nectar from those ruby lips before she returns to her country home, I'll be dead slow." "Wow!" whooped Tad. "Sip nectar! That beats! Thornton, this rural maiden has knocked you silly!" "Wait till you see her, and you will not wonder, my boy." "I'll go something you do not see her again." "Oh, but I have her promise!" "Ah, she was giving you a jolly!" "You'll see!" cried Tom, piqued. "Just wait a while." Two days passed, and Thornton began to think he would not hear anything from his "mash." Then came an invitation to spend an evening at Winnie Lee's, and Winnie hinted that among her guests there was to be a young lady from the country who wished to apologize for intruding upon Mr. Thornton in his room. "It's Grace Darling!" thought Tom, exultantly. "She will be introduced to me! And she must be of fine people to be accepted as a guest at Miss Lee's, for the Lees belong to the _elite_ of the town. Oh, Gracie is all right, if she is from the country!" On the evening of the party Tom arrayed himself in his finest, used perfumery liberally--too liberally--on his handkerchief and his clothes, and set out with a light heart for Miss Lee's.