Produced by David Newman, Sigal Alon, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School OR The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshmen Girls By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M. Author of Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School, Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at High School, Etc. PHILADELPHIA HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY Copyright, 1910 [Illustration: A Troop of Black-Robed Figures Were Stealthily Approaching.] CONTENTS I. The Accident of Friendships II. The Sponsor of the Freshman Class III. Mrs. Gray Engages a Secretary IV. The Black Monks of Asia V. Anne Has a Secret VI. The Sophomore Ball VII. All Hallowe'en VIII. Miss Leece IX. Thanksgiving Day X. Grace Keeps Her Secret XI. Mrs. Gray's Adopted Daughters XII. Miriam Plans a Revenge XIII. Christmas Holidays XIV. A Midnight Alarm XV. Tom Gray XVI. The Marionette Show XVII. After the Ball XVIII. A Winter Picnic XIX. Wolves! XX. The Gray Brothers XXI. The Lost Letter XXII. Danger Ahead XXIII. In the Thick of the Night XXIV. The Freshman Prize LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A Troop of Black-Robed Figures Were Stealthily Approaching. "Miss Pierson, Do You Recognize This Figure?" "Give That Back! It Is Not Yours." Tom Gray Escapes from the Wolves Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School CHAPTER I THE ACCIDENT OF FRIENDSHIPS "Who is the new girl in the class?" asked Miriam Nesbit, flashing her black eyes from one schoolmate to another, as the girls assembled in the locker room of the Oakdale High School. "Her name is Pierson; that is all I know about her," replied Nora O'Malley, gazing at her pretty Irish face in the looking glass with secret satisfaction. "She's very quiet and shy and looks as if she would weep aloud when her turn comes to recite, but I'm sure she's all right," she added good naturedly. For Nora had a charming, sunny nature, and always saw the best if there was any best to see. "She is very bright," broke in Grace Harlowe decisively. "She went through her Latin lesson without a mistake, which is certainly more than I could do." "Well, I don't like her," pouted Miriam. "I never trust those quiet little things. And, besides, she is the worst-dressed girl in----" "Hush!" interrupted Jessica Bright, touching a finger to her lips. "Here she is." A little, brown figure entered the room just as Miriam finished speaking. But Jessica was too late with her warning. The young girl had, without doubt, heard the cruel speech and her face flushed painfully as she pinned on a shabby old hat, slipped her arms into a thin black jacket and stepped out again without looking at the crowd of schoolmates who watched her silently.