"Hey, what's the matter with you two? I thought you were pals."

Nancy laughed a brittle laugh. "Not any more, Butch. Doris is her pal now."

He shrugged and then nudged her arm as a couple came in. "There's Bill Atkins with Anne Osterman."

"What's happened to him and Ginny?" asked Nancy in surprise. Ginny and Bill had been going together for a year and this was the first time she'd seen Bill at a dance without her.

"Oh, Bill got tired of her being jealous all the time," said Terry casually. "She got to thinking she owned hem."

Nancy stared at him with a pang in her heart. "But they always had so much fun together."

"Sure, but Ginny spoiled it all by trying to fence him in and put up a 'Private Property-Keep Out' sign." Terry gave her an odd look, "You can't do that with people, you know, Nancy. Its the quickest way to spoil a friendship. Nobody belongs to anybody. You've got to share your friends if you want to keep them."

Nancy went into the ladies' room to powder her nose and run a comb through her long bob, but when she saw who was at the mirror before her, she almost turned around and went out. Doris saw her in the mirror, though, and smiled.

"Hi, Nancy," she said brightly.

"Hello," said Nancy grudgingly, her color flaming.

"Gee, you look cute tonight," Doris went on. "I love that sweater."

"Thanks." Nancy wouldn't look at her, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse to talk to her.

"Where have you been keeping yourself? Harriet and I tried to call you yesterday to go on a bicycle hike, but you weren't home."

Nancy said nothing. She fixed her face and turned to leave.

Doris got up to go , too. ""Maybe we can get together next week and go to a movie Lon McCallister's in a new picture at the Palace."

"Maybe." Said Nancy noncommittally and hurried past her. What was Doris trying to do? Was she really trying to get Nancy back together with her and Harriet or was she, too, remembering about the club meeting on Monday.

That night Nancy lay awake a long time thinking about her encounter with Doris and what Terry had told her about Ginny and Bill. Of course, it wasn't the same, but in a way, it was. She knew now that it was jealousy that made her so mad at Doris and had prompted her to snub Harriet. "But I can't help it. Harriet was my friend first and Doris just barged in and took her away from me." She wanted more than anything to be friends again with Harriet, but she didn't know what to do about it. Her pride simply wouldn't let her telephone Harriet and try to make up.