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diff --git a/15344.txt b/15344.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cb4ac7c --- /dev/null +++ b/15344.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7016 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High +School, by Jessie Graham Flower + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School + +Author: Jessie Graham Flower + +Release Date: March 12, 2005 [eBook #15344] +[Date last updated: July 19, 2006] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT +HIGH SCHOOL*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 15344-h.htm or 15344-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/3/4/15344/15344-h/15344-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/3/4/15344/15344-h.zip) + + + + + +GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL + +or + +The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and Athletics + +by + +JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A.M. + +Author of Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School, Grace Harlowe's +Junior Year at High School, Grace Harlowe's Senior Year at High School, +etc. + +Illustrated + +Philadelphia +Henry Altemus Company + +1911 + + + + + + + +[Illustration: "The Sophomores Will Not Submit to Such Impositions." + +_Frontispiece--High School Girls No. 2._] + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. A DECLARATION OF WAR + + II. THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR + + III. A GENEROUS APPEAL + + IV. AN UNFORTUNATE AVIATOR + + V. ON THE EVE OF BATTLE + + VI. THE DEEPEST POSSIBLE DISGRACE + + VII. GATHERING CLOUDS + + VIII. THE PRICE OF FRIENDSHIP + + IX. AN UNSUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW + + X. THE SOPHOMORE BALL + + XI. A LION AT LAST + + XII. THE WAYS OF SCHOOLGIRLS + + XIII. A SKATING PARTY + + XIV. A BRAVE RESCUE + + XV. A BELATED REPENTANCE + + XVI. AN OUNCE OF LOYALTY + + XVII. BURYING THE HATCHET + +XVIII. AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR + + XIX. THE GREAT GAME + + XX. A PIECE OF NEWS + + XXI. ANNE AND GRACE COMPARE NOTES + + XXII. A RESCUE AND A REFORM + +XXIII. GRACE MEETS A DISTINGUISHED CHARACTER + + XXIV. COMMENCEMENT + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A DECLARATION OF WAR + + +"Anne, you will never learn to do a side vault that way. Let me show you," +exclaimed Grace Harlowe. + +The gymnasium was full of High School girls, and a very busy and +interesting picture they made, running, leaping, vaulting, passing the +medicine ball and practising on the rings. + +In one corner a class was in progress, the physical culture instructor +calling out her orders like an officer on parade. + +The four girl chums had grown somewhat taller than when last seen. A rich +summer-vacation tan had browned their faces and Nora O'Malley's tip-tilted +Irish nose was dotted with freckles. All four were dressed in gymnasium +suits of dark blue and across the front of each blouse in letters of +sky-blue were the initials "O.H.S.S." which stood for "Oakdale High +School Sophomore." They were rather proud of these initials, perhaps +because the lettering was still too recent to have lost its novelty. + +"Never mind," replied Anne Pierson; "I don't believe I shall ever learn, +it, but, thank goodness, vaulting isn't entirely necessary to human +happiness." + +"Thank goodness it isn't," observed Jessica, who never really enjoyed +gymnasium work. + +"It is to mine," protested Grace, glowing with exercise and enthusiasm. +"If I couldn't do every one of these stunts I should certainly lie awake +at night grieving over it." + +She gave a joyous laugh as she vaulted over the wooden horse as easily and +gracefully as an acrobat. + +"I'd much rather dance," replied Anne. "Ever since Mrs. Gray's Christmas +party I've wanted to learn." + +"Why Anne," replied Grace, "I had forgotten that you don't dance. I'll +give you a lesson at once. But you must first learn to waltz, then all +other dancing will be easy." + +"Just watch me while I show you the step," Grace continued. + +"Now, you try it while I count for you." + +"One, two, three. One, two, three. That's right. Just keep on practising, +until you are sure of yourself; then if Jessica will play for us, I'll +waltz with you." + +"With pleasure," said Jessica, "Anne must learn to waltz. Her education in +dancing mustn't be neglected another minute." + +Anne patiently practised the step while Jessica played a very slow waltz +on the piano and Grace counted for Anne. Then the two girls danced +together, and under Grace's guidance Anne found waltzing wasn't half as +hard as she had imagined it would be. + +By this time the gymnasium was almost empty. The class in physical culture +had been dismissed, and the girls belonging to it had withdrawn to the +locker rooms to dress and go home. The four girl chums were practically +alone. + +"I do wish the rest of the basketball team would put in an appearance," +said Grace, as she and Anne stopped to rest. "We need every minute we can +get for practice. The opening game is so very near, and it's really +difficult to get the gymnasium now, for the juniors seem to consider it +their especial possession. One would think they had leased it for the +season." + +"They are awfully mean, I think," said Nora O'Malley. "They weren't at all +nice to us last year when we were freshmen and they were sophomores. Even +the dignity of being juniors doesn't seem to improve them any. They are +just as hateful as ever." + +"Most of the juniors are really nice girls, but it is due to Julia Crosby +that they behave so badly," said Jessica Bright thoughtfully, "She leads +them, into all kinds of mischief. She is a born trouble-maker." + +"She is one of the rudest girls I have ever known," remarked Nora with +emphasis. "How Miriam Nesbit can tolerate her is more than I can see." + +"Well," said Grace, "it is hardly a case of toleration. Miriam seems +really fond of her." + +"Hush!" said Anne, who had been silently listening to the conversation. +"Here comes the rest of the team, and Miriam is with them." + +Readers of the preceding volume of this series, "GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE +YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL," need no introduction to Grace Harlowe and her girl +chums. In that volume was narrated the race for the freshman prize, so +generously offered each year by Mrs. Gray, sponsor of the freshman class, +and the efforts of Miriam Nesbit aided by the disagreeable teacher of +algebra, Miss Leece, to ruin the career of Anne Pierson, the brightest +pupil of Oakdale High School. Through the loyalty and cleverness of Grace +and her friends, the plot was brought to light and Anne was vindicated. + +Many and varied were the experiences which fell to the lot of the High +School girls. The encounter with an impostor, masquerading as Mrs. Gray's +nephew, Tom Gray, the escape from wolves in Upton Woods, and Mrs. Gray's +Christmas ball proved exciting additions to the routine of school work. + +The contest between Grace and Miriam Nesbit for the basketball captaincy, +resulting in Grace's subsequent election, was also one of the interesting +features of the freshman year. + +The beginning of the sophomore year found Miriam Nesbit in a most +unpleasant frame of mind toward Grace and her friends. The loss of the +basketball captaincy had been a severe blow to Miriam's pride, and she +could not forgive Grace her popularity. + +As she walked across the gymnasium followed by the other members of the +team, her face wore a sullen expression which deepened as her eyes rested +upon Grace, and she nodded very stiffly to the young captain. Grace, fully +aware of the coldness of Miriam's salutation, returned it as courteously +as though Miriam had been one of her particular friends. Long before this +Grace had made up her mind to treat Miriam as though nothing disagreeable +had ever happened. There was no use in holding a grudge. + +"If Miriam once realizes that we are willing to overlook some things +which happened last year," Grace had confided to Anne, "perhaps her better +self will come to the surface. I am sure she has a better self, only she +has never given it a chance to develop." + +Anne did not feel quite so positive as to the existence of Miriam's better +self, but agreed with Grace because she adored her. + +The entire team having assembled, Grace lost no time in assigning the +players to their various positions. + +"Miriam will you play one of the forwards?" she asked. + +"Who is going to play center?" queried Miriam ignoring Grace's question. + +"Why the girls have asked me to play," replied Grace. + +"If I cannot play center," announced Miriam shrugging her shoulders, "I +shall play nothing." + +A sudden silence fell upon the group of girls, who, amazed at Miriam's +rudeness, awaited Grace's answer. + +Stifling her desire to retort sharply, Grace said? "Why Miriam, I didn't +know you felt that way about it. Certainly you may play center if you wish +to. I am sure I don't wish to seem selfish." + +This was too much for Nora O'Malley, who deeply resented Miriam's attitude +toward Grace. + +"We want our captain for center," she said. "Don't we, girls?" + +"Yes," chorused the girls. + +It was a humiliating moment for proud Miriam. Grace realized this and felt +equally embarrassed at their outspoken preference. + +Then Miriam said with a contemptuous laugh, "Really, Miss Harlowe, I +congratulate you upon your loyal support. It is a good thing to have +friends at court. However, it is immaterial to me what position I play, +for I am not particularly enthusiastic over basketball. The juniors are +sure to win at any rate." + +A flush mounted to Grace's cheeks at Miriam's insulting words. Controlling +her anger, she said quietly: + +"Very well, I will play center." Then she rapidly named the other players. + +This last formality having been disposed of, the team lined up for +practice. Soon the game was at its height. Miriam in the excitement of the +play, forgot her recently avowed indifference toward basketball and went +to work with all the skill and activity she possessed. + +The basketball team, during its infancy in the freshman class had given +splendid promise of future fame. Grace felt proud of her players as she +stopped for a moment to watch their agile movements and spirited work. +Surely, the juniors would have to look out for their laurels this year. +Her blood quickened at thought, of the coming contests which were to take +place during the course of the winter between the two class teams. There +were to be three games that season, and the sophomores had made up their +minds to win all of them. What if the junior team were a famous one, and +had won victory after victory the year before over all other class teams? +The sophomores resolved to be famous, too. + +In fact, all of Grace's hopes were centered on the coming season. Napoleon +himself could not have been more eager for victory. + +"We must just make up our minds to work, girls," she exhorted her friends. +"I would rather beat those juniors than take a trip to Europe." + +Nor was she alone in her desire. The other girls were just as eager to +overthrow the victorious juniors. It was evident, so strong was the +feeling in the class, that something more than a sense of sport had +stirred them to this degree of rivalry. + +The former freshman class had many scores against the present juniors. As +sophomores, the winter before, they had never missed an opportunity to +annoy and irritate the freshmen in a hundred disagreeable ways. "The +Black Monks of Asia" still rankled in their memories. Moreover, was not +Julia Crosby, the junior captain? She was the same mischievous sophomore +who had created so much havoc at the Christmas ball. She was always +playing unkind practical jokes on other people. It is true, she was an +intimate and close friend of Miriam Nesbit, but they all were aware that +Miriam was a law unto herself, and none of them had ever attempted to +explain certain doings of hers in connection with Julia Crosby and her +friends during the freshman year. + +Grace's mind was busy with these thoughts when the door of the gymnasium +opened noisily. There was a whoop followed by cries and calls and in +rushed the junior players, most of them dressed in gymnasium suits. + +Julia Crosby, at their head, had come with so much force, that she now +slid halfway across the room, landing right in the midst of the +sophomores. + +"I beg your pardon," said Grace, who had been almost knocked down by the +encounter, "I suppose you did not notice us. But you see, now, that we are +in the midst of practising. The gym. is ours for the afternoon." + +Julia Crosby looked at her insolently and laughed. + +How irritating that laugh had always been to the rival class of younger +girls. It had a dozen different shades of meaning in it--a nasty, +condescending contemptuous laugh, Grace thought, and such qualities had no +right to be put in a laugh at all, since laughing is meant to show +pleasure and nothing else. But Julia Crosby always laughed at the wrong +time; especially when there was nothing at which to laugh. + +"Who said the gym. was yours for the afternoon?" she asked. + +"Miss Thompson said so," answered Grace. "I asked her, this morning, and +she gave us permission, as she did to you last Monday, when the boys were +all out at the football grounds." + +"Have you a written permission?" asked Julia Crosby, laughing again, so +disagreeably that hot-headed Nora was obliged to turn away to keep from +saying something unworthy of herself. + +"No," answered Grace, endeavoring to be calm under these trying +circumstances, but her voice trembling nevertheless with anger. "No, I +have no written permission and you had none last Monday. You know as well +as I do that the boys principal is willing to lend us the gym. as often as +we like during football season, when it is not much in use; and that Miss +Thompson tries to divide the time as evenly as possible among the girls." + +"I don't know anything about that, Miss Harlowe," said Julia Crosby. "But +I do know that you and your team will have to give up the gymnasium at +once, because our team is in a hurry to begin practising." + +Then a great chattering arose. Every sophomore there except Miriam Nesbit +raised a protesting voice. Grace held up her hand for silence, then +summoning all her dignity she turned to Julia Crosby. + +"Miss Crosby," she said, "you have evidently made a mistake. We have had +permission to use the gymnasium this afternoon, which I feel sure you have +not had. It was neither polite nor kind to break in upon us as you did, +and the least you can do is to go away quietly without interrupting us +further." + +"Really, Miss Harlowe," said Julia Crosby, and again her tantalizing laugh +rang out, "you are entirely too hasty in your supposition. As it happens, +I have the best right in the world to bring my team to the gym. this +afternoon. So, little folks," looking from one sophomore to another in a +way that was fairly maddening, "run away and play somewhere else." + +"Miss Crosby," cried Grace, now thoroughly angry, "I insist on knowing +from whom you received permission. It was not granted by Miss Thompson." + +"Oh, I did not stop at Miss Thompson's. I went to a higher authority. Mr. +Cole, the boys' principal, gave me a written permission. Here it is. Do +you care to read it?" and Julia thrust the offending paper before Grace's +eyes. + +This was the last straw. Grace dashed the paper to the floor, and turned +with flashing eyes to her tormentor. + +"Miss Crosby," she said, "if Professor Cole had known that Miss Thompson +had given me permission to use the gymnasium, he would never have given +you this paper. You obtained it by a trick, which is your usual method of +gaining your ends. But I want you to understand that the sophomore class +will not tamely submit to such impositions. We evened our score with you +as freshmen, and we shall do it again this year as sophomores. +Furthermore, we mean to win every basketball game of the series, for we +should consider being beaten by the juniors the deepest possible disgrace. +I regret that we have agreed to play against an unworthy foe." + +With her head held high, Grace walked from the gymnasium, followed by the +other members of her team, who were too indignant to notice that Miriam +had remained behind. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR + + +Once outside the gymnasium, Grace's dignity forsook her, and she felt a +wild desire to kick and scream like a small child. The contemptible +conduct of the junior team filled her with just rage. With a great effort +at self-control she turned to the other girls, who were holding an +indignation meeting in the corridor. + +"Girls," she said, "I know just how you feel about this, and if we had +been boys there would have been a hand-to-hand conflict in the gymnasium +to-day." + +"I wish we hadn't given in," said Nora, almost sobbing with anger. + +"There was really nothing else to do," said Anne. "It is better to retire +with dignity than to indulge in a free-for-all fight." + +"Yes," responded Grace, "it is. But when that insufferable Julia Crosby +poked Professor Cole's permit under my nose, I felt like taking her by the +shoulders and shaking her. What those juniors need is a good, sound +thrashing. That being utterly out of the question, the only thing to do is +to whitewash them at basketball." + +"Three cheers for the valiant sophomores!" cried Nora, "On to victory! +Down with juniors!" + +The cheers were given with a will, and by common consent the crowd of +girls moved on down the corridor that led to the locker room. + +The sophomore locker room was the particular rendezvous of that class in +general. Here matters of state were discussed, class gossip retailed, and +class friendships cemented. It was in reality a sort of clubroom, and dear +to the heart of every girl in the class. To the girls in their present +state of mind it seemed the only place to go. They seated themselves on +the benches and Grace took the floor. + +"Attention, fellow citizens and basketball artists," she called. "Do you +solemnly promise to exert yourselves to the utmost to repay the juniors +for this afternoon's work?" + +"We do," was the answer. + +"And will you pledge your sacred honor to whip the juniors, no matter what +happens!" + +"We will," responded the girls. + +"Anne!" called Grace. "You and Jessica are not players, but you can pledge +your loyalty to the team anyhow. I want you to be in this, too. Hold up +your right hands." + +"We will be loyal," said both girls, holding up their right hands, +laughing meanwhile at Grace's serious expression. + +"Now," said Grace, "I feel better. As long as we can't get the actual +practice this afternoon let's lay out a course of action at any rate, and +arrange our secret signals." + +"Done," cried the girls, and soon they were deep in the mysteries of +secret plays and signs. + +Grace explained the game to Anne, who did not incline towards athletics, +and had had little previous opportunity to enjoy them. + +Anne, eager to learn for Grace's sake, became interested on her own +account, and soon mastered the main points of the game. + +"Here is a list of the secret signals, Anne," said Grace. "Study it +carefully and learn it by heart, then you will understand every move our +team makes during the coming games. I expect you to become an enthusiastic +fan." + +Anne thanked her, and put the paper in her purse, little dreaming how much +unhappiness that same paper was to cause her. + +The business of the afternoon having been disposed of, the girls donned +street clothing and left the building, schoolgirl fashion, in groups of +twos and threes. + +On the way out they encountered several of the victorious juniors, who +managed to make their presence felt. + +"Oh," said Nora O'Malley, "those girls ought to be suppressed." + +"Never mind," put in Anne. "You know 'the way of the transgressor is +hard.' Perhaps those juniors will get what they deserve yet." + +"Not much danger of it. They're too tricky," said Jessica contemptuously. + +Anne's prophecy was to be fulfilled, however, in a most unexpected manner. + +There had been one unnoticed spectator of the recent quarrel between the +two classes. This was the teacher of physical culture, Miss Kane, who had +returned to the gymnasium for a moment, arriving just in time to witness +the whole scene. She, too, had had trouble at various times with the +junior class, particularly Julia Crosby, who invariably tried her patience +severely. She had been heard to pronounce them the most unruly class she +had ever attempted to instruct. Therefore her sympathies were with the +retreating sophomores, and with set lips and righteous indignation in her +eye, she resolved to lay the matter before Miss Thompson, at the earliest +opportunity. + +Miss Thompson listened the next day with considerable surprise to Miss +Kane's account of the affair. No one knew the mischievous tendencies of +the juniors better than did the principal. Ordinary mischief she could +forgive, but this was overstepping all bounds. She had given the +sophomore class permission to use the gymnasium for the afternoon, and no +other class had the least right to take the matter over her head. She knew +that Professor Cole was entirely innocent of the deception practised upon +him, so she resolved to say nothing to him, but deal with the junior team +as she deemed best. One thing was certain, they should receive their just +deserts. + +Miss Thompson's face, usually calm and serene, wore an expression of great +sternness as she faced the assembled classes in the study-hall the +following morning. The girls looked apprehensively at each other, +wondering what was about to happen. When their beloved principal looked +like that, there was trouble brewing for some one. Miss Thompson, though a +strict disciplinarian, was seldom angry. She was both patient and +reasonable in her dealings with the pupils under her supervision, and had +their utmost confidence and respect. To incur her displeasure one must +commit a serious offense. Each girl searched her mind for possible +delinquencies There was absolute silence in the great room. Then the +principal spoke: + +"I must ask the undivided attention of every girl in this room, as what I +am about to say relates in a measure to all of you. + +"There are four classes, representing four divisions of high school work, +assembled here this morning. Each one must be passed through before the +desired goal--graduation--is reached. + +"The standard of each class from freshmen to seniors, should be honor. I +have been very proud of my girls because I believed that they would be +able to live up to that standard. However it seems that some of them have +yet to learn the meaning of the word." + +Miss Thompson paused. Nora cast a significant look toward Jessica, who sat +directly opposite her, while Julia Crosby fidgeted nervously in her seat, +and felt suddenly ill at ease. + +"Good-natured rivalry between classes," continued Miss Thompson, "has +always been encouraged, but ill-natured trickery is to be deplored. A +matter has come to my ears which makes it necessary for me to put down +with an iron hand anything resembling such an evil. + +"You are all aware that I have been very willing to grant the use of the +gymnasium to the various teams for basketball practice, and have tried to +divide up the time as evenly as possible. Two days ago I gave the members +of the sophomore team permission to use the gymnasium for practice. No +other team had any right whatever to disturb them, yet I understand that +another team did commit that breach of class etiquette, drove the rightful +possessors from the room and occupied it for the remainder of the +afternoon. The report brought to me says that the young women of the +sophomore team conducted themselves with dignity during a most trying +situation." + +Miss Thompson turned suddenly toward the junior section. + +"The members of the junior basketball team will please rise," she said +sternly. + +There was a subdued murmur throughout the section, then one after another, +with the exception of Julia Crosby, the girls rose. + +"Miss Crosby," said the principal in a tone that brooked no delay, "rise +at once! I expect instant obedience from every pupil in this school." + +Julia sulkily rose to her feet. + +"Miss Crosby," continued Miss Thompson, "are you not the captain of the +junior team?" + +"Yes," answered Julia defiantly. + +"Did you go to Professor Cole for permission to use the gymnasium last +Thursday?" + +"Yes." + +"Why did you not come to me?" + +Julia hung her head and made no reply. + +"I will tell you the reason, Miss Crosby," said the principal. "You +already knew that permission had been granted the sophomore team, did you +not?" + +"Yes," said Julia very faintly. + +"Very well. You are guilty of two serious misdemeanors. You purposely +misrepresented matters to Professor Cole and deliberately put aside my +authority; not to mention the unwomanly way in which you behaved toward +the sophomore team. Every girl who aided and abetted you in this is +equally guilty. Therefore you will all learn and recite to me an extra +page in history every day for two weeks. The use of the gymnasium will be +prohibited you for the same length of time, and if such a thing ever again +occurs, the culprits will be suspended without delay. You may be seated." + +The dazed juniors sank limply into their seats. The tables had been turned +upon them with a vengeance. A page of history a day was bad enough, but +the loss of the gymnasium privilege was worse. The opening game was only +two weeks off, and they needed practice. + +Julia Crosby put her head down on her desk and wept tears of rage and +mortification. The rest of the girls looked ready to cry, too. + +The first bell for classes sounded and the girls picked up their books. At +the second bell they filed out through the corridor to their various +recitation rooms. As Grace, who had stopped to look for a lost pencil, +hurried toward the geometry classroom, she passed Julia Crosby, who was +moping along, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. Julia cast an angry +glance at Grace, and hissed, "tale-bearer." + +Grace, inwardly smarting at the unjust accusation walked on without +answering. + +"What did I tell you about the way of the transgressor?" said Anne to +Grace, as they walked home from school that day. + +"It certainly is hard enough this time," said Grace. "But," she added, as +she thought of Julia Crosby's recent accusation, "the way of the righteous +isn't always easy." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A GENEROUS APPEAL + + +The juniors themselves hardly felt the weight of their punishment more +than did Grace Harlowe. Her heart was set on winning every basketball game +of the series. But she wished to win fairly and honestly. Now, that the +juniors had been forbidden the use of the gymnasium, the sophomores might +practise there to their heart's content. But was that fair? To be sure the +juniors had deserved their punishment, but what kind of basketball could +they play after having had no practice for two weeks? Besides, Julia +Crosby blamed her for telling what had occurred in the gymnasium. She had +gone to Julia, earnestly avowing innocence, but Julia had only laughed at +her and refused to listen. + +All this passed rapidly through Grace's mind as she walked toward the High +School several mornings later. Something must be done, but what she hardly +knew. The game could be postponed, but Grace felt that the other girls +would not care to postpone it. They were heartily glad that the junior +team had come to grief, and showed no sympathy for them. + +"There's just one thing to be done," sighed Grace to herself. "And that's +to go to Miss Thompson and ask her to restore the juniors their privilege. +I hate to do it, she was so angry with them. But I'll do what I can, +anyway. Here goes." + +Miss Thompson was in her office when Grace entered rather timidly, seating +herself on the oak settee until the principal should find time to talk to +talk with her. + +"Well, Grace, what can I do for you?" said Miss Thompson, looking up +smilingly at the young girl. "You look as though you carried the cares of +the world upon your shoulders this morning." + +"Not quite all of them, but I have a few especial ones that are bothering +me," replied Grace. Then after a moment's hesitation she said, "Miss +Thompson, won't you, please, restore the juniors their gymnasium +privilege?" + +Miss Thompson regarded Grace searchingly. "What a peculiar request to +make, Grace. Don't you consider the juniors' punishment a just one?" + +"Yes," said Grace earnestly, "I do. But this is the whole trouble. The +first basketball game between the juniors and the sophomores is scheduled +to take place in less than two weeks. If the juniors do not practise they +will play badly, and we shall beat them. We hope to win, at any rate, but +we want to feel that they have had the same chances that we have had. If +they do fail, they will say that it was because they had no opportunity +for practice. That will take all the sweetness out of the victory for us." + +"I think I see," said Miss Thompson, smiling a little. "It is a case of +the innocent suffering with the guilty, isn't it? Personally, I hardly +feel like restoring these bad children to favor, as they sadly needed a +lesson; but since you take the matter so seriously to heart; I suppose I +must say 'yes.'" + +"Thank you so much, dear Miss Thompson," said Grace with shining eyes, +"and now I want to ask one more favor. Julia Crosby believes that I +reported her to you that day. Of course you know that I did not. Will you +please tell her so? Her accusation has made me very unhappy." + +Miss Thompson looked a trifle stern. "Yes, Grace," she said, "I will +attend to that, too." + +Grace turned to go, but Miss Thompson said. "Wait a moment, Grace, I will +send for Miss Crosby." + +Julia Crosby heard the summons with dismay. She wondered what Miss +Thompson could have to say to her. The principal's reprimand had been so +severe that even mischievous Julia felt obliged to go softly. Another +performance like the last might cut short her High School career. So she +let the sophomores severely alone. She was, therefore, surprised on +entering the office to meet Grace Harlowe face to face. + +"Miss Crosby," said Miss Thompson coldly, "Miss Harlowe has just asked me +to restore the junior team their gymnasium privilege. Had any other girl +asked this favor I should have refused her. But Miss Harlowe, in spite of +the shabby way in which she has been treated, is generous enough to +overlook the past, and begs that you be given another chance. It is only +for her sake that I grant it. + +"Also, Miss Crosby, I received no information from Miss Harlowe or any of +her team regarding your recent rude conduct in the gymnasium. The report +came from an entirely different source. You may go; but first you may +apologize to Miss Harlowe, and thank her for what she has done." + +With a very poor grace, Julia mumbled a few words of apology and thanks +and hurried from the room. The principal looked after her and shook her +head, then turning to Grace, she asked, "Well, Grace, are you satisfied?" + +Grace thanked her again, and with a light heart sped towards the study +hall. Once more she could look forward to the coming game with pleasant +anticipations. + +Julia Crosby had already informed the junior players of the rise in their +fallen fortunes. When school was over they gathered about their leader to +hear the story. Now, Julia, if possible felt more bitter toward Grace than +formerly. It galled her to be compelled to accept anything from Grace's +hands, and she did not intend to let any more of the truth be known than +she could help. This was too good an opportunity to gain popularity to let +slip through her fingers So she put on a mysterious expression and said: + +"Now, see here, girls, I got you into all that trouble, and I made up my +mind to get you out again. Just go ahead and practise for all your worth, +and don't worry about how it all happened." + +"Well," said Alice Waite, "it was awfully brave of you to go to Miss +Thompson, even if you are too modest to tell of it. Wasn't it, girls?" + +"Yes," chorused the team. "Three cheers for our brave captain." + +Julia, fairly dazzled at her own popularity, smiled a smile of intense +satisfaction. She had produced exactly the impression that she wished. + +"What on earth are those juniors making such a fuss about?" inquired Nora +O'Malley, as the four chums strolled across the campus toward the gate. +The junior team, headed by Julia, was coming down the walk talking at the +top of their voices. + +"Nothing of any importance, you may be sure," said Jessica Bright. +"'Shallow brooks babble loudest,' you know." + +"They seem to be 'babbling' over Julia Crosby just now," said Anne, who +had been curiously watching the jubilant juniors. + +"No doubt she has just unfolded some new scheme," said Nora sarcastically, +"that will be practised on the sophomores at the first opportunity." + +"Doesn't it seem strange," said Grace, who had hitherto offered no +comments, "that we must always be at sixes and sevens with the juniors? +Such a spirit never existed between classes before. I wonder how it will +all end?" + +"Don't worry your dear head over those girls, Grace," said Anne, patting +Grace's hand. "They aren't worth it." + +"Oh, look girls!" exclaimed Nora suddenly. "There is David Nesbit, and he +is coming this way. I haven't seen him for an age." + +"Good afternoon, girls," said David, lifting his cap. "It is indeed a +pleasure to see you." + +"Why, David," said Grace, "you are quite a stranger. Where have you been +keeping yourself?" + +Anne also looked her pleasure at seeing her old friend. + +"I have been very, very busy with some important business of my own," said +David in a mock-pompous tone. Then he announced: "I am going to give a +party and I am going to invite all of you. Will you come?" + +"We will!" cried Nora. "Dressed in our costliest raiment, at that." + +"Never mind about the fine clothes," said David, laughing. "This is to be +a plain, every-day affair." + +"Who else is invited, David?" asked Jessica. + +"Only one other girl beside yourselves has had the honor of receiving an +invitation." + +"Miriam?" queried Grace, unable to conceal a shade of disappointment in +her tone. + +"No, no; not Miriam," answered Miriam's brother. + +Grace looked relieved. If Miriam joined the party, something unpleasant +was sure to happen. Miriam treasured a spite against Anne for winning the +freshman prize, and never treated her with civility when they chanced to +meet. Grace knew, too, that Miriam's attitude toward her was equally +hostile. She wondered if David knew all these things about his sister. + +Whatever he did know of Miriam and her deep-laid plans and schemes, he +divulged to no one. None of the girls had ever heard him say a word +against his sister; although they felt that he deeply disapproved of her +jealousy and false pride. + +"You haven't guessed her name yet," smiled David. "She is one of my best +friends, girls. She has been my sweetheart ever since I was a young man of +five. She's one of the prettiest girls in Oakdale, she's sixty years +young, and her name is----" + +"Dear Mrs. Gray, of course!" exclaimed Grace delightedly. + +"And has she accepted your invitation?" asked Anne. + +"She has," replied David, "and will come in her coach and four, or rather +her carriage and two. You ordinary mortals will be obliged to walk, I +fear." + +"But why does she use her 'coach and four,' When she lives in the palace +just next door?" rhymed Nora. + +"Very good, my child," commented David. "However, what I was about to say +was this: My party is not to be in a house. It is an open-air party. We +are to meet at the Omnibus House, to-morrow afternoon at four o'clock. +Two very distinguished gentlemen have also been invited--Mr. Reddy Brooks +and Mr. Hippy Wingate." + +A shout of laughter went up from the girls + +"Distinguished, indeed," cried Nora. "It will be a delightful party I am +sure." + +"Shall we bring food for Hippy!" + +"No," laughed David. "Let him eat the apples he finds on the ground. If we +feed him on every festive occasion he will soon be too fat to walk, and we +shall have to roll him about on casters." + +"What a terrible fate," said Anne smiling. + +"Well, girls? do you promise to attend?" + +"Yes? indeed!" cried the four girls. + +"Be sure not to surprise us with a disappointment." + +"The main thing is not to disappoint you with the surprise," were his +parting words. + +"If all boys were as nice as David the world would be a better place!" +exclaimed Grace. "I suppose you can guess what the object of this party +is." + +"Never mind, don't mention it," said Jessica in a low tone. "Here come +some other girls, and if they knew what we know, there would be a +multitude instead of a select, private party at the Omnibus House +to-morrow." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AN UNFORTUNATE AVIATOR + + +It was an unusual entertainment that David had provided for his little +circle of intimate friends in the old orchard surrounding the Omnibus +House. There was a look of intense excitement in his eyes, as he stood +awaiting his guests, the following afternoon. Mrs. Gray had already +arrived, and, leaving her carriage to wait for her near the entrance, now +stood by David and helped him receive. + +"It's good to see all my children together again," she exclaimed, giving +Anne a gentle hug; for ever since her Christmas house party she had +acquired a sort of proprietary feeling toward these young people. "I only +wish Tom Gray were to be with us to-day. I should like him to have a share +in the surprise; for you may be sure there is to be a surprise. David +would never have asked us to this lonely place for nothing." + +"David is a good old reliable, Mrs. Gray," cried Hippy. "Certainly if I +had imagined for a moment that he would disappoint us, I never should have +dragged my slight frame all this distance." + +"Good, loyal old Hippy," replied David. "The surprise is ready, but even +if it had not been, there is no exercise so beneficial to stout people as +walking." + +"Well, bring it on, bring it on," exclaimed Reddy. "We are waiting +patiently." + +"Curb your impatience, Sorrel Top," said David. "Just follow me, and see +what I have to show you." + +They helped little Mrs. Gray, who was nimble in spite of her years, +through a broken gap in the wall of the Omnibus House. The old ruin was +more picturesque than, ever in its cloak of five-leafed ivy which the +autumn had touched with red and gold. A lean-to had been built against the +back wall of the building, fitted with a stout door on the inside and a +pair of doors on the outside. + +"I rented this plot of land from the farmer who owns the orchard," +explained David, taking a key from his pocket and opening the door in the +stone wall. "This was about the best place I could think of for +experiments, partly because it's such a lonesome place, and partly because +there is a clear open space of several hundred yards back here without a +tree or bush on it." + +It was dark inside until he had opened the double doors in the opposite +wall, when the slanting light showed them an aeroplane; not a little +gymnasium model this time, but a full-fledged flying machine, a trim and +graceful object, even at close view. + +"David," cried Anne joyously, "you don't mean to say you've gone and done +it at last?" + +"I have," answered David gravely; "and I've made two trips with pretty +good success each time." + +Then everyone talked at once. David was the hero of the hour. + +"David, my dear boy," cried Mrs. Gray. "To think that I should live to see +you an aviator!" + +"I'm a long way from being one, yet, Mrs. Gray," answered David. "My bird +doesn't always care to fly. There are times when she'd rather stay in her +nest with her wings folded. Of course, I haven't nearly perfected her yet, +so I don't want it mentioned in town until I get things in shape. But I +couldn't wait until then to show it to you, my dear friends, because you +were all interested in it last year." + +"Well, well, come on and fly," cried Hippy. "My heart is palpitating so +with excitement that I am afraid it will beat once too often if something +doesn't happen." + +"I was waiting for my helper," answered David, "but he appears to be late. +You boys will do as well." + +"Who is your helper, David?" asked Anne. + +"You could never guess," he replied smiling, "so I'll have to tell you. +It's old Jean, the hunter." + +"Why, the dear old thing!" cried Grace. "To think of him leaving his +uncivilized state to do anything so utterly civilized and modern as to +help with a flying machine." + +"And he does it well, too," went on David. "He is not only thoroughly +interested but he keeps guard out here in case any one should try to break +in. There are his cot and things in the corner. He sleeps in the open +unless it rains. Then he sleeps inside." + +As the old hunter did not put in an appearance David decided to wait no +longer. + +"Why can't we all help?" asked Grace. "What must we do? Please tell us." + +"All right," answered David, "just give it a shove into the open space, +and you'll see how she gradually rises for a flight." + +After making a careful examination of all the parts of the aeroplane, and +starting the engine, David took his seat in the machine. + +Then the two boys, assisted by Grace and Nora, pushed it swiftly out into +the broad open space back of the ruin. + +Suddenly the machine began to rise. Slowly, at first, then seeming to +gather strength and confidence like a young bird that has learned to fly +at last, it soared over the apple trees. David, white, but very calm, +quietly worked the levers that operated the little engine. When he had +risen about a hundred feet, he began to dip and soar around the orchard in +circles. He appeared to have forgotten his friends, watching anxiously +below. He did not notice that little Mrs. Gray's knees had suddenly +refused to support her, nor that she had sat flat on the ground in a state +of utter bewilderment at the sight of his sudden flight. David looked far +across at the beautiful rolling meadows, and fields dotted with farmhouses +and cottages. How he loved the fertile valley, with its little river +winding in and out between green banks! It was all so beautiful, but it +was time to descend. He must not give his pet too much liberty, or he +might rue his indiscretion. He headed his machine for the open space back +of the Omnibus House, and began the descent. Then, something snapped, and +he fell. He remembered as he fell the look of horror on the up-raised +faces of his friends, and then everything became a blank. + +It all happened in a flash, much too quickly to do anything but stand and +wait until the aeroplane had crashed to the ground, but it seemed much +longer, and Anne remembered later that she had felt a curious impulse to +run away and hide. If David were to meet his death through this new toy, +she could not endure to stay and see it happen. + +But David was far from dead. He was only stunned and dizzy from the swift +descent. He had not been high enough from the ground when the accident +occurred to sustain serious injuries. They lifted him from the machine and +laid him upon the grass, while Reddy ran to the brook and brought back his +cap filled with water. + +Mrs. Gray produced her smelling salts which she always carried with her. +"Not for my own use, my dears," she always said, "but for the benefit of +other people." + +Reddy loosened David's collar and dashed the water into his face; while +Hippy chafed the unconscious boy's wrists. + +Presently David opened his eyes, looking vaguely about. He had a confused +idea that something had happened to him, but just what it was he could not +think. He looked up into the anxious faces of his friends who stood around +him. Then he remembered. + +"I'm not hurt," he said in a rather weak voice. Then he sat up and smiled +feebly at the company. "I just had the wind knocked out of me. I am sure +no bones are broken. How about my pet bird? Has she smashed her little +ribs?" + +"No, old fellow," exclaimed Hippy in a reassuring tone, for Hippy had +never been able to endure the sight of suffering or disappointment. "Her +wings are a good deal battered, that's all. But are you all right, old +man?" he added, feeling David's arms and legs, and even putting an ear +over his heart. + +"It's still beating, you foolish, old fat-head," said David, patting his +friend affectionately on the back. + +In the meantime Anne had helped Mrs. Gray to her feet. + +"I declare, I feel as though I had dropped from the clouds myself," said +the old lady, wiping her eyes. "I am so stunned and bewildered. David, my +dear boy, if you had been seriously hurt I should never have forgiven +myself for allowing you to fly off like that. What would your poor mother +say if she knew what had happened?" + +"It won't be necessary to break the news to her, Mrs. Gray," said David. +"I shall be as good as new inside of a few minutes. It's my poor little +bird here who has received the injuries. Look at her poor battered wings! +I think I know just what caused my sudden descent though, and I'll take +care it doesn't happen again." + +David then began a minute examination of his damaged pet, and soon located +the trouble. His friends listened, deeply interested, as he explained the +principles of aviation, and showed them how he had carried out his own +ideas in constructing his aeroplane. Grace, who had a taste for mechanics, +asked all sorts of questions, until Hippy asked her if she intended +building an aeroplane of her own. + +"I may," replied Grace, laughing. "You know that girls have as much chance +at the big things of the world to-day, as boys." + +"Well, if you do, let me know," responded Hippy, "and I'll write an epic +poem about you that will make the world sit up and take notice." + +"Then I am assured of fame beforehand," laughed Grace. + +"Look!" said Nora suddenly. "Who are those people coming across the +orchard? Doesn't that look like Julia Crosby and some of her crowd?" + +"Yes," exclaimed Grace, "it is, and Miriam is with them." + +"Then help me get my aeroplane into the shed quickly," exclaimed David. +"You know that the Crosby girl is not a favorite with me." Then he added +half to himself, "I don't see why Miriam insists on going around with her +so much." + +The boys lost no time in getting the aeroplane into the house, David +slammed the doors, and triumphantly turned the key in the lock just as +Miriam and her party came up. + +With a quick glance Miriam's eyes took in the situation. She bowed +courteously to Mrs. Gray, whom she dared not slight; included Grace, Nora +and Jessica in a cool little nod, and stared straight past Anne. Then +turning to her brother she said, "David, show Miss Crosby and her friends +your aeroplane, they wish to see it." + +A look of grim determination settled about David's mouth. Looking his +sister squarely in the face, he said, "I am sorry to seem disobliging but +I cannot show your friends my aeroplane and I am surprised to find that +they know I have one." + +Miriam reddened at this, but said insolently, "If you can invite other +people to see it, you can show it to us." + +There was an uncomfortable silence. Mrs. Gray looked surprised and +annoyed. The peaceful old lady, disliked scenes of any kind. Grace and her +chums, knowing that Miriam was only making herself ridiculous, felt +embarrassed for her. Then Julia Crosby laughed in her tantalizing +irritating way. + +That settled the matter as far as David was concerned. + +"You are right," he said, "I could show my flying machine to you and your +friends if I cared to do so. However, I don't care to. Knowing that I +wished my experiment to be kept a secret, you came here with the one idea +of being disagreeable, and you have succeeded. I am sorry to be so rude to +my own sister, but occasionally the brutal truth is a good thing for you +to hear, Miriam." + +Miriam was speechless with anger, but before she could frame a reply, Mrs. +Gray said soothingly "Children, children don't quarrel. David, it is +getting late. We had better go. I suppose it is of no use to ask any of +you athletic young folks to ride back to town." With a little bow to +Miriam and her discomfited party, Mrs. Gray turned toward where her +carriage awaited her, followed by David and his friends. + +After bidding her good-bye, the young people took the road to town. For +David's sake all mention of the recent unpleasantness was tacitly avoided, +though it was uppermost in each one's mind. + +"I have one thing to be thankful for," said Grace to Anne, as she turned +in at her own gate, "and that is that Miriam Nesbit isn't my sister." + +As for Miriam, her feelings can be better imagined than described. She +sulked and pouted the whole way home, vowing to get even with David for +daring to cross her. Julia Crosby grew rather tired of Miriam's tirade, +and left her with the parting advice that she had better forget it. + +When Miriam reached home she immediately asked if David had come in. +Receiving an affirmative reply, she went from room to room looking for +him, and finally found him in the library. He was busy with a book on +aviation. She snatched the book from him, threw it across the room and +expressed her opinion of himself and his friends in very plain terms. +Without a word David picked up his book and walked out of the library, +leaving her in full possession of the field. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +ON THE EVE OF BATTLE + + +But little time remained before the first basketball game of the series +between the sophomores and juniors. Both teams had been untiring in their +practice. There had been no further altercations between them as to the +use of the gymnasium, for the juniors, fearing the wrath of Miss Thompson, +were more circumspect in their behavior, and let the sophomore team +strictly alone. + +"They are liable to break out at any time, you can trust them just as far +as you can see them and no farther, and that's the truth," cried Nora +O'Malley. The sophomore players were standing in the corridor outside the +gymnasium awaiting the pleasure of the juniors, whose practice time was +up. + +"They are supposed to be out of here at four o'clock," continued Nora, +"and it's fifteen minutes past four now. They are loitering on purpose +They don't dare to do mean things openly since Miss Thompson lectured them +so, but they make up for it by being aggravating." + +"Never mind, Nora," said Grace, smiling at Nora's outburst. "We'll whip +them off the face of the earth next Saturday." + +"Well, I hope so," said Nora, "I am sure we are better players." + +"What outrageous conceit," said Jessica, and the four girls laughed +merrily. + +"By the way, Grace," said Anne, "I want to ask you something about that +list you gave me. I don't quite understand what one of those signals +means." + +"Trot it out," said Grace. "I'll have time to tell you about it before the +practice actually begins." + +Anne took out her purse and began searching for the list. It was not to be +found. + +"Why, how strange," she said. "I was looking at it this morning on the way +to school. I wonder if I have lost it. That would be dreadful." + +She turned her purse upside down, shaking it energetically, but no list +fell out. + +"Oh, never mind," said Grace, seeing Anne's distress. "It's of no +consequence. No one will ever find it anyway. Suppose it were found, who +would know what it meant?" + +"Yes, but one would know," persisted Anne, "because I wrote 'Sophomore +basketball signals' on the outside of it. Oh, dear, I don't see how I +could have been so careless." + +"Poor little Anne," said Jessica, "she is always worried over something or +other." + +"Now see here, Anne," said Grace, "just because you lost a letter last +term and had trouble over it, don't begin to mourn over those old signals. +No one will ever see them, and perhaps you haven't lost them. Maybe you'll +find them at home." + +"Perhaps I shall," said Anne brightening. + +"Now smile Anne," said Nora, "and forget your troubles. There is no use in +crossing bridges before you come to them." + +This homely old saying seemed to console Anne, and soon she was eagerly +watching the work of the team, her brief anxiety forgotten. + +That night she searched her room, and the next day gave her desk in school +a thorough overhauling, but the list of signals remained missing. + +The sophomore players with their substitute team met that afternoon in the +gymnasium. It was their last opportunity for practice. Saturday they would +rise to victory or go down in ignominious defeat. The latter seemed to +them impossible. They had practised faithfully, and Grace had been so +earnest in her efforts to perfect their playing that they were completely +under her control and moved like clockwork. There was no weak spot in the +team. Every point had been diligently worked over and mastered. They had +played several games with the freshmen and had won every time, so Grace +was fairly confident of their success. + +"Oh, girls," she cried, wringing her hands in her earnestness, "don't make +any mistakes. Keep your heads, all of you. I am convinced we are better +players than the juniors, even if they did get the pennant last year. For +one thing I don't think they work together as well as we do, and that's +really the main thing. Miriam, you missed practice yesterday. You are +going to stay to-day, aren't you?" + +Miriam nodded without replying. She was busy with her own thoughts. She +wished she could hit upon some way to humiliate Grace Harlowe. But what +could she do? That was the question. The members of the team adored their +gray-eyed, independent young captain, therefore she would have to be very +careful. + +She had been steadily losing ground with her class on account of her +constant association with the juniors, and the slightest misstep on her +part would jeopardize her place on the team. She had a genuine love for +the game, and since she couldn't play on the junior team, she concluded it +would be just as well not to lose her place with the sophomores. In her +heart she cared nothing for her class. She had tried to be their leader, +and Grace had supplanted her, but now Grace should pay for it. + +All this passed through Miriam's mind as she covertly watched Grace, who +was reassuring Anne for the fiftieth time, not to worry over the lost +signals. + +"Don't tell any one about it," she whispered to Anne. "You may find them +yet." + +Anne shook her head sorrowfully. She felt in some way that those signals +were bound to make trouble for her. + +"By the way, girls," said Grace, addressing the team, "has any one any +objection to Anne and Jessica staying to see the practice game? They have +seen all our work and are now anxious to see the practice game. They know +all the points, but they want to see how the new signal code works." + +"Of course not," answered the girls. "We won't turn Oakdale's star pupil +out of the gym. Anne shall be our mascot. As for Jessica, she is a matter +of course." + +"I object," said Miriam. "I object seriously." + +"Object?" repeated Grace, turning in amazement to Miriam. "Why?" + +"You know that it is against all basketball rules to allow any one in the +gymnasium during practice except the regular team and the subs. If we +follow our rules then we shall be certain that nothing we do reaches the +ears of the juniors. We have always made an exception of Jessica, but I +don't think we should allow any one else here." + +"And do you think that Anne Pierson would carry information?" exclaimed +Grace sharply. "Really, Miriam, you are provoking enough to try the +patience of a saint. Just as if Anne, who is the soul of honor, would do +such a thing." + +An indignant murmur arose from the girls. They were all prepared to like +little Anne, although they did not know her very well. + +"How can you say such things, Miriam?" cried Nora. + +"I didn't say she would," said Miriam rather alarmed at the storm she had +raised. "But I do think it is better to be careful. However, have it your +own way. But if we lose the game----" + +She paused. Her judgment told her she had said enough. If anything did +happen, the blame would fall on Grace's shoulders. + +Anne, deeply hurt, tried to leave the gymnasium but the girls caught her, +and brought her back again. She shed a few tears, but soon forgot her +grief in the interest of the game. + +"Girls," said Grace, as she and Nora and Jessica walked down the street +that night after leaving Anne at her corner, "we must look out for Anne. +It is evident from the way Miriam acted to-day that she will never lose an +opportunity to hurt Anne's feelings. I thought perhaps time would soften +her wrath, but it looks as though she still nursed her old grudge." + +How true Grace's words were to prove she could not at that time foresee. + +"Well," said Nora, "Anne is one of the nicest girls in Oakdale, and if +Miriam knows when she's well off she'll mind her own business." + +The day before the game, as Grace was leaving school, she heard David's +familiar whistle and turned to see the young man hurrying toward her, a +look of subdued excitement upon his face. + +"I've been looking all over for you, Grace," he said, as he lifted his cap +to her. "I have something to tell you. This afternoon after school, Reddy, +Hippy and I went out to the old Omnibus House. I wanted to show the +fellows some things about my machine. While we were out there who should +appear but Julia Crosby and some more of her crowd. They were having a +regular pow-wow and were in high glee over something. We kept still +because we knew if they saw us they'd descend upon us in a body. They +stayed a long time and Julia Crosby made a speech. I couldn't hear what +she said, but it seemed to be about the proper thing, for her satellites +applauded about every two minutes. Then they got their heads together and +all talked at once. While they were so busy we skipped out without being +noticed. I thought I'd better tell you, for I have an idea they are +putting up some scheme to queer you in the game to-morrow; so look out for +them." + +"Thank you, David," answered Grace. "You are always looking after our +interests. I wonder what those juniors are planning. They are obliged to +play a fair game, for they know perfectly well what will happen if they +don't. Miss Thompson will be there to-morrow, and they know she has her +eye on them." + +"Put not your trust in juniors," cautioned David. "They may elude even her +watchful eye." + +"You are coming to see us play to-morrow, aren't you, David?" asked Grace. + +"I'll be there before the doors are open, with Reddy and Hippy at my +heels," responded David. "Good-bye, Grace. Look out for squalls +to-morrow." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE DEEPEST POSSIBLE DISGRACE + + +A feeling of depression swept over Grace Harlowe as she looked out the +window the next morning. The rain was falling heavily and the skies were +sullen and gray. + +"What a miserable day for the game," was her first thought. "I do hope the +rain won't keep people away. This weather is enough to discourage any +one." + +All morning she watched anxiously for the clouds to lift, going from +window to door until her mother told her to stop fretting about the +weather and save her strength for the coming game. + +The game was set for two o'clock, but at one, Grace put on her raincoat +and set out for the High School. She knew she was early, but she felt that +she couldn't stay in the house a minute longer. + +One by one the sophomore team and its substitutes assembled, but the rain +had dampened their spirits and the enthusiasm of the past few days had +left them. + +Grace looked worried, as she noticed how listless her players seemed. She +wished it had been one of those cold, crisp days that set the blood +tingling and make the heart beat high with hope. + +Still Grace felt confident that her team would rise to the occasion when +the game was called. They were two well-trained, too certain of their +powers to ever think of failing. + +The bad weather had evidently not depressed the spirits of their +opponents. The juniors stood about laughing and talking. Julia Crosby +moved from one girl to the other whispering slyly. + +"Wretch!" thought Grace. "How disagreeable she is. She was born too late. +She should have lived in the middle ages, when plotting was the fashion. +She is anything but a credit to her class and dear old Oakdale High +School." + +Grace's rather vehement reflections were cut short by the approach of Miss +Thompson, who stopped to say a word of cheer to the girls before taking +her seat in the gallery. + +"Well, Grace," she said, "this is a rather bad day outside, but still +there will be a few loyal souls to cheer you on to victory. May the best +man win. You must put forth every energy if you expect to conquer the +juniors, however. They have held the championship a long time." + +"They will not hold it after to-day if we can help it," answered Grace. +"We feel fairly sure that we can whip them." + +"That is the right spirit," said Miss Thompson. "Confidence is first +cousin to success, you know." + +"Was there ever a teacher quite like Miss Thompson?" asked Nora as the +principal left them to take her seat in the gallery. + +"She is a dear," said Marian Barber, "and she's on our side, too." + +"There's the referee now!" exclaimed Grace. "Now, girls, make up your +minds to play as you never played before. Remember it's for the honor of +the sophomores." + +By this time the gallery was half filled with an audience largely composed +of High School boys and girls. A few outsiders were present. Mrs. Harlowe +had come to see her daughter's team win the game, she said; for she knew +that Grace's heart was set on victory. + +The referee, time-keeper and scorer chosen from the senior class took +their places. The whistle blew and the teams lined up. There was a round +of loud applause from the fans of both teams. The players presented a fine +appearance. The earnest, "do or die" expression on every face made the +spectators feel that the coming game would be well worth seeing. + +The rival captains faced each other, ready to jump for the ball the +instant it left the referee's hands. There was a moment of expectant +silence; then the referee put the ball in play, the whistle blew and the +game began. Both captains sprang for the ball, but alas for the +sophomores, Julia Crosby caught it and threw it to the junior right +forward. It looked for a minute as though the juniors would score without +effort, but Nora O'Malley, who was left guard, succeeded so effectually in +annoying her opponent that when the bewildered goal-thrower did succeed in +throwing the ball, it fell wide of the basket. It had barely touched the +floor before there was a rush for it, and the fun waxed fast and furious. + +During the first five minutes neither side scored; then the tide turned +in favor of the juniors and they netted the ball. + +Grace Harlowe set her teeth, resolving to play harder than ever. The +juniors should not score again if she could help it. Nora had the ball and +was dribbling it for dear life. Grace signaled her team, who responded +instantly; but, to their consternation, the juniors seemed to understand +the signal as fully as did their own team, and quickly blocking their +play, scored again. + +There was a howl of delight from the junior fans in the gallery. The +sudden triumph of the enemy seemed to daze the sophomores. They looked at +their captain in amazement, then sprang once more to their work. But the +trend the game was taking had affected them, and in their desperate +efforts to score they made mistakes. Miriam Nesbit ran with the ball and a +foul was called, which resulted in the juniors scoring a point. + +Nora O'Malley, in her excitement, caught the forward she was guarding by +the arm, and again a foul was called; this time, however, the juniors made +nothing from it. But the precious time was flying and only four minutes of +the first half remained. Again Grace signaled for another secret play, and +again the juniors rose to the occasion and thwarted her. + +It was maddening. + +The score stood 7 to 0 in favor of the juniors. Miriam Nesbit had the ball +now, and was trying to throw it. She stood near the junior basket. Eluding +her guard, who was dancing about in front of her, she made a wild throw. +Whether by accident or design it was hard to tell, but the ball landed +squarely in the junior basket. A whoop went up from the gallery. The +whistle blew and the first half was over. The score stood 9 to 0 in favor +of the enemy. The last two points had been presented to the juniors. + +Up in the gallery discussion ran rife. The admirers of the juniors were +loud in their praise of the superior ability of the team. The junior +class, who were sitting in a body at one end of the gallery, grew +especially noisy, and were laughing derisively at the downfall of the +sophomores. + +Miss Thompson was puzzled. + +"I cannot imagine what ails my sophomores," she said to the teacher next +to her. "I understood that they were such fine players. Yet they don't +seem to be able to hold their own. It looks as though their defeat were +inevitable, unless they do some remarkable playing during the next half." + +Mrs. Harlowe, too, was disappointed. She wondered why Grace had boasted so +much of her team. + +"After all, they are little more than children," she thought. "Those +juniors seem older to me." + +As for Grace and her team--they were sitting in a room just off the +gymnasium gloomily discussing the situation. Tears of mortification stood +in Nora's eyes, while Grace was putting forth every effort to appear calm. +She knew that if she showed the least sign of faltering all would be lost. +Her players must feel that she still had faith in their ability to win. + +"We are not beaten yet, girls," she said, "and I believe we shall make up +in the last half what we lost in the first. Work fast, but keep your wits +about you. Don't give the referee any chance to call a foul, we can't +spare a minute from now on. When I give the signal for a certain play, be +on the alert, and please, please don't any of you present those juniors +with any more points. I'm not blaming you, Miriam, for I know that last +throw of yours was an accident, but I could have cried when that ball went +into the basket." + +Miriam's face flushed; then realizing that all eyes were turned toward +her, she said sarcastically: + +"Really, Miss Harlowe, it's so kind of you to look at it in that light. +However, anyone with common sense would have known without being told that +I never intended that ball for the juniors." + +"I am not so sure of that," muttered Nora, who, seeing the hurt look that +crept into Grace's eyes at Miriam's words, immediately rose in behalf of +her captain. + +Miriam whirled on Nora. + +"What did you say?" asked Miriam angrily. + +Before Nora could answer the whistle blew. Intermission was over and the +second half was on. The teams changed baskets and stood in readiness for +work. Once more Grace and Julia Crosby faced each other. There was a +malicious gleam in Julia's eye and a look of determination in Grace's. +With a spring, Grace caught the ball as it descended and threw it to Nora, +who, eluding her guard, tossed it to Miriam. With unerring aim Miriam sent +the ball into the basket and the sophomores scored for the first time. + +Their friends in the gallery applauded vigorously and began to take heart, +but their joy was short-lived, for as the play proceeded the sophomores +steadily lost what little ground they had gained. Try as they might, they +could make no headway. Grace called for play after play, only to find that +in some inexplicable way the enemy seemed to know just what she meant, and +acted accordingly. + +The game neared its close and the sophomores fought with the desperation +of the doomed. They knew that they could not win save by a miracle, but +they resolved to die hard. The ball was in Miriam's hands and she made a +feint at throwing it to Nora, but whirled and threw it to Grace, who, +divining her intention, ran forward to receive it. There was a rush on the +part of the juniors. Julia Crosby, crossing in front of Grace, managed +slyly to thrust one foot forward. Grace tripped and fell to the floor, +twisting one leg under her. The ball rolled on, and was caught by the +enemy, who threw it to goal just as the whistle sounded for the last time. +The juniors had won. The score stood 17 to 2 in their favor. The scorer +attempted to announce it, but her voice was lost in the noisy yells of the +junior class in the gallery. + +The fact that Grace Harlowe still sat on the gymnasium floor passed for a +moment unnoticed. In the final grand rush for the ball, the other players +failed to see that their valiant captain still occupied the spot where she +fell. Tumbles were not infrequent, and Grace was well able to take care of +herself. + +Anne Pierson alone saw Julia Crosby's foot slide out, and, scenting +treachery, hastily left her seat in the gallery. She ran as fast as she +could to where Grace sat, reaching her a few seconds after the whistle +blew. + +"Good little Anne," called Grace. "You have come to my rescue even though +the others have deserted me. Perhaps you can help me up. I tried it, but +my ankle hurts every time I try to stand." + +Her face was very white, and Anne saw that she was in great pain. + +By this time Grace's team, realizing she was not with them, began looking +about, and rushed over to her in a body. David, Reddy and Hippy appeared +on the scene, as did Mrs. Harlowe, accompanied by Miss Thompson. +Excitement reigned. The boys lifted Grace to her feet; but she cried with +pain and would have fallen had they not held her. + +"She has sprained her ankle!" exclaimed Miss Thompson. "How did it happen, +Grace? I did not see you fall." + +"I don't know, Miss Thompson," said Grace faintly. "It all happened so +quickly I didn't have time to think about it." + +"It certainly is a shame," cried Anne. "And I know----" + +Just then Grace gave Anne a warning glance and shook her head slightly. +Anne closed her lips and was silent. + +"What were you saying, Anne?" asked Miss Thompson. + +But Anne had received her orders. + +"I am so sorry that Grace has been hurt," she said lamely. + +A carriage was ordered and Grace was taken home, Anne and Mrs. Harlowe +accompanying her. Mrs. Harlowe sent for their physician, who bandaged the +swollen ankle, and told Grace that the sprain was not serious. She +refused, however, to go to bed, but lay on the wide lounge in the sitting +room. + +"Just keep quiet for a few days, and you'll be all right," said Dr. Gale. +"You girls are as bad as boys about getting hard knocks. It looks as +though basketball were about as barbarous as football." + +"It is a dear old game, and I love it in spite of hard knocks," said Grace +emphatically. + +"I like your spirit, Grace," laughed Dr. Gale. "Now, remember to treat +that ankle well if you want to appear again in the basketball arena." + +"Grace," said Anne, after the doctor had gone. "You know how it happened, +don't you?" + +"Yes," answered Grace, after a little hesitation. "I do." + +"What are you going to do about it?" asked Anne. + +"I don't know," said Grace. "I am not sure it was intentional." + +"Grace," said Anne with decision, "it was intentional. I watched her every +minute of the game, for I didn't trust her, and I saw her do it. I was so +angry that when Miss Thompson asked how it happened I felt that I must +tell, then and there. It was you who prevented me. I think such a trick +should be exposed." + +"What a vengeful little Anne," said Grace. "You are usually the last one +to tell anything." + +She took Anne's hand in hers. + +"It's just this way, Anne," she continued. "If I were to tell what Julia +Crosby did, Miss Thompson might forbid basketball. That would be dreadful. +Besides, the juniors would hardly believe me, and would say it was a case +of sour grapes, on account of the sophomores losing the game. So you see I +should gain nothing and perhaps lose a great deal. I believe that people +that do mean things are usually repaid in their own coin. Julia didn't +really intend to hurt me. Her idea was to prevent me from getting the +ball. Of course it was dishonorable and she knew it. It is strictly +forbidden in basketball, and if her own team knew positively that she was +guilty, it would go hard with her. There is honor even among thieves, you +know." + +There was a brief silence. Grace lay back among the cushions, looking very +white and tired. Her ankle pained her severely, but the defeat of her +beloved team was a deeper hurt to her proud spirit. + +Anne sat apparently wrapped in thought. She nervously clasped and +unclasped her small hands. + +"Grace," she said, "don't you think it was queer the way the juniors +seemed to understand our signals. They knew every one of them. I believe +that they found that list and it is all my fault. I had no business to +lose it. I felt when I couldn't find it that it would fall into the wrong +hands and cause trouble. I don't care for myself but if the girls find it +out they will blame you for giving it to me. You know what Miriam said the +other day. Now she will have a chance to be disagreeable to you about it." + +Anne was almost in tears. + +"Anne, dear," said Grace soothingly, "don't worry about it. I am not +afraid to tell the girls about that list, and I shall certainly do so. +They will understand that it was an accident, and overlook it. Besides, we +are not sure that the juniors found it. I will admit that everything +points that way. You know David warned us that they had some mischief on +hand. If they did find it, the only honorable thing to do was to return +it. They are far more at fault than we are, and the girls will agree with +me, I know." + +But Anne was not so confident. + +"Miriam will try to make trouble about it, I know she will. And I am to +blame for the whole thing," she said. + +Grace was about to reply when Mrs. Harlowe appeared in the door with a +tray of tempting food. + +Anne rose and began donning her wraps. + +"Won't you stay, Anne, and have supper with my invalid girl?" said Mrs. +Harlowe. + +"Please do, Anne," coaxed Grace. "I hate eating alone, and having you here +takes my mind off my pain." + +Anne stayed, and the two girls had a merry time over their meal. Grace, +knowing Anne's distress over the lost signals, refused to talk of the +subject. Jessica and Nora, David, Hippy and Reddy dropped in, one after +the other, to inquire for Grace. + +"There is nothing like accidents to bring one's friends together," +declared Grace, as the young people gathered around her. + +"I told you to look out for squalls, Grace," said David. "But you didn't +weather the gale very well." + +"Those juniors must have been eavesdropping when you made your signal +code. They understood every play you made. By George, I wonder if that +were the meaning of that pow-wow the other day. Some one must have put +Julia Crosby wise, and that's why she called a meeting at the Omnibus +House. It's an out-of-the-way place, and she thought there was no danger +of being disturbed. + +"Who could have been mean enough to betray us?" cried Nora. "I am sure +none of the team did, unless----" Nora stopped short. + +She had been on the point of using Miriam's name, but remembered just in +time that Miriam's brother was present. + +"If we knew the girl who did it, we'd certainly cut her acquaintance," +said Reddy Brooks. + +"Never again should she bask in the light of our society," said Hippy +dramatically. + +"None of our friends would do such a thing," said David soberly. Then, +turning to Anne, "What's your opinion on the subject, Queen Anne?" + +But Anne could find no answer. She simply shook her head. + +Grace, knowing Anne's feelings over the affair, came to the rescue. + +"Anne's opinion and mine are the same. We feel sure that they knew our +signals, but we believe they accidentally hit upon the knowledge. There is +no use in crying over spilt milk. We shall have to change all our signals +and take care that it doesn't happen again. And now let's talk of +something more agreeable, for basketball is a sore subject with me in more +than one sense." The talk drifted into other channels much to Anne's +relief. + +"I have an idea!" exclaimed Hippy. + +"Impossible," said Reddy. "No one would ever accuse you of such a thing." + +"Be silent, fellow," commanded Hippy. "I will not brook such idle +babbling." He strutted up and down the room, his chest inflated and one +hand over his heart, presenting such a ridiculous figure that he raised a +general laugh. + +"Speak on, fat one. I promise not to make any more remarks," said Reddy. + +"I propose," said Hippy, pausing in his march, "that we give an impromptu +vaudeville show for the benefit of Miss Grace Harlowe, once an active +member of this happy band, but now laid on the shelf--couch, I mean--for +repairs." + +"Done," was the unanimous reply. + +"Now," continued Hippy, "get cozy, and the show will begin. Miss Nora +O'Malley will open the show by singing 'Peggy Brady,' as only an Irish +colleen of her pretensions can." + +Nora rose, looked toward Jessica, who went at once to the piano to +accompany her, and sang the song demanded with a fascinating brogue that +always brought forth the applause of her friends. She responded to an +encore. Then Anne's turn came, and she recited "Lasca." Hippy next favored +the company with a comic song, which caused them to shout with laughter. +Jessica did her Greek dance for which she was famous. The performance +ended with an up-to-date version of "Antony and Cleopatra," enacted by +David, Reddy and Hippy, with dialogue and stage business of which +Shakespeare never dreamed. + +It was a product of Hippy's fertile brain, and the boys had been +rehearsing it with great glee, in view of appearing in it, on some fitting +occasion, before the girls. + +David, gracefully draped in the piano cover, represented Egypt's queen, +and languished upon Marc Antony's shoulder in the most approved manner. +Reddy, as the Roman conqueror left nothing to be desired. The star actor +of the piece, however, was Hippy, who played the deadly asp. He writhed +and wriggled in a manner that would have filled a respectable serpent with +envy, and in the closing scene bit the unfortunate Cleopatra so venomously +that she howled for mercy, and instead of dying gracefully, arose and +engaged in battle with his snakeship. + +Grace forgot her sprained ankle and laughed until the tears rolled down +her cheeks. + +"You funny, funny boys," she gasped, "how did you ever think of anything +so ridiculous!" + +"Hippy perpetrated the outrage," said David "and we agreed to help him +produce it. We have been practising it for two weeks, only we don't +generally end up with a scuffle. I hope you will pardon us, Grace, but the +desire to shake that husky Egyptian reptile was irresistible." + +"There is nothing to pardon," replied Grace, "and we have only thanks to +offer for the fun you have given us." + +"It was indeed a notable performance," agreed Nora. + +"Girls and boys," said Anne, "it is almost ten o'clock and Grace ought to +be in bed. I move that we adjourn." + +"Second the motion," said David. "We have been very selfish in keeping +poor Grace up when she is ill." + +"Poor Grace is glad you came, and isn't a bit tired," replied Grace, +looking fondly at her friends. "You must all come to see me as often as +you can while I am laid up. I shall be pretty lonely for a few days." + +The young folks departed, singing "Good Night, Ladies" as they trooped +down the walk. + +"What a pleasure it is to have such dear, good friends," thought Grace as +she lay back on her couch after they had gone. "They are well worth all +the loyalty I can give them." + +She went to sleep that night unconscious of how soon her loyalty to one of +them would be put to the test. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +GATHERING CLOUDS + + +"A sprained ankle is not so serious," declared Grace from her nest among +the sofa cushions. It was the Monday after the game. Her various +sympathetic classmates were seated about the Harlowe's comfortable living +room. A wood fire crackled cheerfully in the big, open fireplace, while a +large plate of chocolate fudge circulated from one lap to another. + +"Jessica, will you pour the chocolate?" continued Grace to her friend, who +rose at once to comply with her request. "Anne, will you help serve, +please?" + +Anne accordingly drew about the room a little table on wheels, containing +on its several shelves plates containing sandwiches, cookies and cakes. + +"Trust to the Harlowe's to have lots of good things to eat," exclaimed +Marian Barber. "It must be fun to be laid up, Grace, if you can give a +party every afternoon." + +"I must entertain my friends when they are kind enough to come and see +me," answered Grace. "But some people think sandwiches poor provender +unless they are the fancy kind, with olives and nuts in them. Miriam, for +instance would never serve such plain fare to her company as cream cheese +sandwiches." + +"Here comes Miriam up the walk now," cried Jessica. "She looks as though +she had something on her mind." + +Presently the door opened and Miriam was ushered in. Grace wondered a +little at her call, considering the unfriendly spirit Miriam had recently +exhibited toward her. She greeted Miriam cordially. The laws of +hospitality were sacred in the Harlowe family, and not for worlds would +Grace have shown anything but the kindest feeling toward a guest under her +own roof. + +Miriam accepted the chair and the cup of chocolate tendered her, ignoring +the plate of cakes offered by Anne. She looked about her like a marksman +taking aim before he fires. There was a danger signal in either eye. + +"She is out for slaughter," thought Nora. + +"Well, Miriam, what's the news?" said Marian Barber good-naturedly. "You +have a mysterious, newsy look in your eye. Is it good, bad or +indifferent?" + +"How did you guess that I had news?" inquired Miriam. Then without waiting +for an answer she went on. "I certainly have, and very unpleasant news, at +that." + +"Out with it," said Nora, "and don't keep us in suspense." + +"Well," said Miriam, "I suppose you all noticed how the juniors outwitted +us at every point last Saturday? We put up a hard fight, too. The reason +of it was that they knew every one of our signals." + +"How dreadful!" "How did they get their information?" "Who told you so?" +were the exclamations that rose from the assembled girls. + +Grace had raised herself to a sitting position and was steadily regarding +Miriam, who, well aware of that keen, searching gaze, deliberately +continued: + +"What makes the matter so much worse is the fact that we were betrayed by +a member of our own class." + +"Oh, Miriam, you don't mean that?" said Jessica. + +"I am sorry to say that it is true," replied Miriam, "and I am going to +put the matter before the class." + +"Tell us who it is, Miriam," cried the girls. "We'll fix her!" + +"Miriam," said Grace in a tone of quiet command that made every girl look +toward her, "you are to mention no names while in my house." + +Miriam's face flamed. Before she could reply, however, Grace went on. +"Girls you must realize the position in which Miriam's remarks place me. +She is sure that she knows who betrayed our signals, and is willing to +name the person. Suppose she names some girl present. Think of the +feelings of that girl, my guest, yet not safe from accusation while here. +I should prove a poor sort of hostess if I allowed the honor of any of my +friends to suffer while in my house. + +"The place to discuss these things is in school. There every girl stands +on an equal footing and can refute any charges made against her. I wish to +say that I have a communication to make which may put a different face on +the whole matter. I know something of the story of those signals. When I +go back to school I shall call a meeting of the basketball team and its +subs. and tell them what I know about it; but not until then. Furthermore +it is not strictly a class matter, as it pertains to the basketball +players alone. Therefore any one outside the team has no right to +interfere. Please don't think me disagreeable. It is because I am trying +to avoid unpleasant consequences that I am firm about having no names +mentioned here." + +[Illustration: "You Need Mention No Names While in My House."] + +There was an absolute silence in the room. The girls had a deep regard for +Grace on account of her frank, open nature and love of fair play; but +Miriam had her own particular friends who had respect for her on account +of her being a Nesbit. She had a faculty of obtaining her own way, too, +that seemed, to them, little short of marvellous, and she spent more money +than any other girl in Oakdale High School. It was therefore difficult to +choose between the two factions. + +Nora broke the embarrassing pause. + +"Grace is right as usual," she said, "and none of you girls should feel +offended. What's the use of wasting the whole afternoon quarrelling over +an old basketball game? Do talk about something pleasant. The sophomore +ball for instance. Do you girls realize that we ought to be making some +plans for it? It's the annual class dance, and should be welcomed, with +enthusiasm. We've all been so crazy over basketball that we've neglected +to think about our class responsibilities. We ought to try to make it a +greater success than any other dance ever given by a sophomore class. We +must call a meeting very soon, not to fight over basketball, but to make +arrangements for our dance." + +Nora's reminder of the coming ball was a stroke of diplomacy on her part. + +What school girl does not grow enthusiastic over a class dance? A buzz of +conversation immediately arose as to gowns, decorations, refreshments and +the thousand and one things all important to a festivity of that kind. + +Miriam seeing that it was useless to try to raise any further disturbance, +cut her call short, taking with her several girls who were her staunch +upholders. + +Those who remained did not seem sorry at her departure, and Grace drew a +breath of relief as the door closed upon the wilful girl. She had at least +saved Anne from a cruel attack, but how much longer she could do so was a +question. Miriam would undoubtedly bring up the subject at the first class +meeting, and Grace was not so sure, now, that the girls would be willing +to overlook the loss of the signals when she told them of it. + +"I shall be loyal to Anne, no matter what it costs me," she decided. "She +has done nothing wrong, and Miriam will find that she cannot trample upon +either of us with impunity. As for Jessica and Nora, I know they will +agree with me." + +Under cover of conversation, Grace whispered to Jessica that she wished +her to remain after the others had gone, and to ask Nora and Anne to do +the same. + +When the last of the callers had said good-bye, and the four chums had the +room to themselves, Grace told Nora and Jessica about Anne's mishap, and +how utterly innocent of blame she was. + +"Do you mean to tell me that Miriam meant Anne when she said she could +name the girl?" demanded Nora. + +"She did, indeed," replied Anne, "and if it had not been for Grace she +would have made things very unpleasant for me." + +"Humph," ejaculated the fiery Nora, "then all I have to say is that I +don't see how a nice boy like David ever happened to have a horrid +hateful, scheming sister like Miriam. Stand up for Anne? Well I rather +think so! Let Miriam dare to say anything like that to me." + +"Or me," said Jessica. + +"I knew you girls would feel the same as I do," said Grace. "Anne has some +true friends, thank goodness. You see Miriam is basing all her +suppositions on the fact that Anne was allowed to come to practice. She +doesn't know anything about the loss of the signals. You remember she +objected to Anne seeing the practice game. Now she will try to show that +she was right in doing so." + +"Let her try it," said Jessica, "She'll be sorry." + +"I am not so sure of that," said Anne quietly. "You know that Miriam has +plenty of influence with certain girls, while I am only a stranger about +whom no one cares except yourselves and the boys and Mrs. Gray. + +"You are the brightest girl in school just the same," said Nora, "and that +counts for a whole lot. Miss Thompson likes you, too, and our crowd is not +to be despised." + +"You are the dearest people in the world," responded Anne gratefully. +"Please don't think that I am unappreciative. You have done far too much +for me, and I don't want you to get into trouble on my account. As long as +you girls care for me, I don't mind what the others think." + +"Don't say that Anne," said Jessica. "You don't know how mean some of +those girls can be. Don't you remember the junior that was cut by her +class last year? Of course, she did something for which she deserved to be +cut, but the girls made her life miserable. The story went through every +class, and she got the cold shoulder all around. She's not here this year. +Her father sent her away to school, she was so unhappy. You remember her, +don't you?" turning to Grace and Nora. + +Both girls nodded. The story of the unfortunate junior loomed up before +them. Every girl in High School knew it. + +"We can only hope that history will not repeat itself," said Grace +thoughtfully. "Of course, I don't mean that there is any similarity +between the two cases. That girl last year was untruthful and extremely +dishonorable. It is perfectly ridiculous to think of placing the blame for +those signals upon Anne. If the girls are silly enough to listen to +Miriam's insinuations, then they must choose between Miriam and me. Anne +is my dear friend, and I shall stick to her until the end." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE PRICE OF FRIENDSHIP + + +It was a week before Dr. Gale pronounced Grace fit to return to school. +When she did make her appearance, she was hailed with delight by her +schoolmates and made much of. Miss Thompson greeted her warmly. She was +very fond of Grace, and had expressed great concern over the young girl's +accident. It was unusual for a girl to receive so serious an injury during +a game, as all rough play was strictly forbidden. + +The principal had kept the members of both teams after school and +questioned them closely. No one had seen Grace fall, nor realized that she +was hurt until she had been discovered sitting on the gymnasium floor. +Miss Thompson had a vague suspicion of foul play on the part of the +juniors, but was unable to find out anything. + +"Athletics for girls have always been encouraged in this school," she had +said. "Rough play is disgraceful. If I found that any member of any High +School basketball organization, either directly or indirectly, caused the +injury of an opponent, I should forbid basketball for the rest of the +season at least, and perhaps absolutely. Tripping, striking and kicking +are barred out of the boys' games and will certainly not be tolerated in +those of the girls." + +As Grace was returning to the study hall from geometry recitation that +morning, she encountered Julia Crosby. Julia glanced at her with an +expression half fearful, half cunning, as though she wondered if Grace +knew the truth about her fall. + +Grace returned the look with one of such quiet contempt and scorn that +Julia dropped her eyes and hurried along the corridor. + +"How could she have been so contemptible?" thought Grace. + +"I wonder if she'll tell," thought Julia. "She evidently knows I was +responsible for her tumble. My, what a look she gave me. I wonder if that +snippy little Anne Pierson knows about it, too. Very likely she does, for +Grace Harlowe tells her all her business. If they do say anything I'll +take good care no one believes it." + +She was so absorbed in her own ruminations that she crashed into the +dignified president of the senior class with considerable force, much to +the glee of Nora, who happened to be near enough to catch the icy +expression on the senior's face as Julia mumbled an apology. + +At recess Grace notified the members of the basketball team and their +substitutes that she had called a meeting to take place that afternoon at +three o'clock in the sophomore locker room. "Only the basketball people +are requested to be present," she concluded, "so don't bring any of the +rest of the class." + +At three o'clock precisely the last member had arrived. Every girl took +particular pains to be there, for most of them had been at the Harlowe's +on the day that Grace had silenced Miriam. + +The meeting promised to be one of interest, for had not Grace Harlowe said +that she would tell them something about the betrayed signals? + +"Girls," Grace began, "you all know that although it is against the rules +to allow any outsider to witness our practice, we have always made an +exception in favor of Jessica. You all have perfect confidence in Jessica, +I am sure. Since practice began this fall we have allowed Anne to come to +it, too. You remember I asked permission for her to see the practice game, +because I knew her to be absolutely trustworthy." + +Here Nora nodded emphatically, Miriam tossed her head and smiled +mockingly, while the rest of the girls looked a trifle mystified. + +"Anne," continued Grace, "did not understand many of our plays, so I +wrote out a list of signals for her, to study and learn by heart, telling +her to destroy them as soon as she was sure she knew them. Unfortunately, +she lost them, and at once told me about it. She felt very unhappy over +it; but I told her not to worry, because I never supposed their loss would +make any difference. + +"When the game was well under way and the juniors began to block our +plays, it flashed across me that in some way they had found that list. +Anne, who has a mania for labeling everything, had written 'Sophomore +basketball signals' across the paper; so, of course, any one who found it +would know exactly what the list meant. + +"We were warned that the juniors held a meeting at the Omnibus House a day +or so before the game, and that they meant mischief. I never thought, +however, they would be quite so dishonorable. + +"I would have told you this before the game, but was afraid it would +confuse and worry you. I am sure that you will agree with me, and absolve +Anne from all blame." + +"I don't agree with you at all," flashed Miriam, "and I am glad to have a +chance to speak my mind. I told you before the game that I objected to +Miss Pierson watching our practice, that it was against the rules, but no +attention was paid to what I said. If you had taken my advice the result +would have been far different. I have no doubt Grace believes that Miss +Pierson lost the list, but I am not so easily deceived. I believe she +deliberately handed it over to the juniors, and every loyal member of the +team should cut her acquaintance." + +"Miriam Nesbit," cried Nora. "You haven't the least right to accuse Anne +Pierson of any such thing. She is too honorable to think of it, and she +has no love for the junior class either. She isn't even friendly with +them. If any one is to be accused of treachery, I should say that there +are members of the team far more friendly with the juniors than poor +little Anne." + +This was a direct slap at Miriam, who winced a little at Nora's words. + +"Well," said Marian Barber quickly, "it stands to reason that no member of +the team would be foolish enough to help the enemy. I don't know anything +about Miss Pierson, but I do know that I overheard Julia Crosby telling +some girl in her class that the sophomores could thank one of their own +class for their defeat." + +"When did you hear her say that?" queried Miriam sharply. + +"Yesterday morning. I was walking behind her, and she was so busy talking +she didn't notice me." + +"You girls can draw your own conclusions," said Miriam triumphantly. "That +simply proves what I have said." + +"That simply proves nothing at all," exclaimed Grace Harlowe, who had been +too angry to trust herself to speak. "You are making a very serious charge +against Anne without one bit of ground on which to base your suspicions. +You have always disliked her because she won the freshman prize, and you +know nothing whatever against her." + +"No," said Miriam scornfully, "nor anything to her credit either. Who is +she, anyway? The daughter of a strolling third-rate actor, who goes +barnstorming about the country, and she has been on the stage, too. She +has a very good opinion of herself since Mrs. Gray and certain Oakdale +girls took her up, but I wouldn't trust her as far as I could see her. Why +should girls of good Oakdale families be forced to associate with such +people? I suppose she wanted to be on good terms with the juniors, too, +and took that method of gaining her point." + +"That is pure nonsense," exclaimed Nora. "Don't you think so, girls?" + +But the other girls made no reply. They were thinking hard. Suspicion +seemed to point in Anne's direction. What a pity Grace had been so rash +about taking Anne up if her father were a common actor. Miriam was right +about not caring to associate with Anne. After all, they knew very little +about her. Grace Harlowe was always picking queer people and trying to +help them. + +"I think we ought to be very careful about taking outsiders into our +confidence," firmly said Eva Allen, one of the team. "I didn't know Miss +Pierson had ever been an actress." There was a note of horror in her voice +as she pronounced the last word. + +"I have always heard that they were very unreliable people," said another +miss of sixteen. + +Grace was in despair. She felt that she had lost. By dragging up Anne's +unfortunate family history, Miriam had produced a bad impression that she +was powerless to efface. + +"Girls," she said, "you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You know +perfectly well that Anne is innocent. If you wish to be my friend you must +be Anne's also. Please say that you believe her." + +"Count on me," said Nora. + +But the other sophomores had nothing to say. + +Grace looked about her appealingly, only to meet cold looks and averted +faces. Miriam was smiling openly. + +"The meeting is adjourned," said Grace shortly, and without another word +she went to her locker and began taking out her wraps. Nora followed her, +but the majority of the girls walked over to the other end of the room and +began to talk in low tones with Miriam. + +Grace realized that her team had deserted her for Miriam. It was almost +unbelievable. She set her lips and winked hard to keep back the tears +which rose to her eyes. Then, followed by her one faithful friend, she +walked out of the locker room, leaving her fickle classmates with their +chosen leader. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +AN UNSUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW + + +There were two subjects of interest under discussion in the sophomore +class. One was the coming ball, the other the story of the lost signals, +which had gone the round of the class. The general opinion seemed to be +that Anne had betrayed the team, and with the unthinking cruelty of youth, +the girls had resolved to teach her a lesson. Miriam's accusation had been +repeated from one girl to another, with unconscious additions, until Anne +loomed up in the light of a traitor, and was treated accordingly. + +Grace had told Anne the next day the details of the meeting, and in some +measure prepared her for what would undoubtedly follow. Anne had laughed a +little at the account of Miriam's remarks regarding her father, and the +girls' evident disapproval of the theatrical profession. + +"How silly they are," she said to Grace, who felt secretly relieved to +know that Anne was not mortally hurt over Miriam's attack. "They don't +know anything about professional people. Of course, there are plenty of +worthless actors, but some of them are really very fine men and women. +Miriam may abuse my family all she chooses, but I do feel unhappy to think +that those girls believe me dishonorable and under-handed." + +"They wouldn't if they had any sense," responded Grace hotly, "I never +believed that those girls could be so snobbish. I always thought them +above such petty meanness. Don't pay any attention to them, Anne. They +aren't worth it. I am going to interview Julia Crosby and make her +acknowledge that she wasn't referring to you the other day. There is +something queer about it all. I believe that there is some kind of secret +understanding between Miriam and Julia; that this is a deliberate plot on +their part to injure you and humiliate me, and I shall find out the truth +before I am through." + +"But what has Julia Crosby against me?" queried Anne, "I hardly know her." + +"She hasn't forgotten the way David defended you at Mrs. Gray's Christmas +ball last year," answered Grace, "Besides, you're a sophomore. Isn't that +a good enough reason?" + +"I suppose it is," said Anne wearily. + +Grace kept her word and hailed Julia Crosby on the following afternoon as +she was leaving the High School. It seemed a favorable opportunity for +Julia was alone. + +"Miss Crosby," said Grace coldly. "I should like to speak to you about a +very important matter." + +"There's nothing to hinder you, Miss Harlowe," replied Julia brusquely. +"I'm here. Are you sure that it really is important?" + +She stopped and eyed Grace insolently. + +"I am very sure that it is important, Miss Crosby," said Grace. "Not long +ago a certain sophomore overheard you telling a member of your class that +we sophomores could thank a girl in our class for our basketball defeat. A +certain girl had already been unjustly accused of betraying our signals. +When your remark was repeated to the team, they immediately decided that +you meant her. Since then her classmates have taken the matter up and are +determined to cut her acquaintance." + +"Well what has all this childish prattle to do with me?" demanded Julia +rudely. + +"It has this to do with you, that you can set the matter right by saying +it was not Anne. You know perfectly well she had nothing to do with it. I +don't know how you got those signals, but I do know that Anne never gave +them to you." + +"Did I say that she did?" asked Julia. + +"No," said Grace, "neither did you say that she didn't." + +"Very true," replied Julia in a disagreeable tone, "and I don't intend to +say so either. She may or she may not have given them to me. I'll never +tell. She's a snippy, conceited, little prig, and a little punishment for +her sins will do her good." + +"You are a cruel, heartless girl," cried Grace angrily. "Knowing Anne to +be innocent, you refuse to clear her name of the suspicion resting upon +it. Let me tell you one thing. I know who tripped me the day of the game, +and so does Anne. If you don't clear Anne instantly, I shall go straight +to Miss Thompson with it." + +Grace's threat went home. Julia stood in actual dread of the principal. It +looked as though the tables had been turned at last. If Grace went to Miss +Thompson what a commotion there would be! + +In a moment, however, Julia recovered herself. What was it Miss Thompson +had said about rough play? Ah, Julia remembered now, and with the +recollection of the principal's words came the means of worsting Grace +Harlowe in her efforts to vindicate Anne. + +"You may go to Miss Thompson if you think it wise," she said with a +malicious smile, "but I wouldn't advise it--that is, unless you have +gotten over caring for basketball." + +"What do you mean?" asked Grace. Then like a flash she understood. If she +should tell Miss Thompson the truth, the principal would believe her. +Julia would receive her just deserts but, oh, bitter thought, there would +be no more basketball that season. + +Grace felt that she had no right to sacrifice the pleasure of so many +others, even for Anne's sake. It would only increase the feeling against +both Anne and herself, and after all, Julia might still hold out in her +insinuations against Anne. + +"How can you be so contemptible?" she said to her smiling enemy. "You +never win anything honestly. I see it is useless for me to appeal to you +for something which you cannot give, and that is fair play!" With a slight +bow, Grace walked quickly away, leaving Julia a little astonished at her +sudden departure and not at all pleased at Grace's frankly expressed +opinion. + +Grace lost no time in relating to Anne her fruitless interview with the +junior captain. + +"I am so humiliated to think I failed. I expected that threatening to tell +Miss Thompson would bring her to her senses, but she is too cunning for +me," sighed Grace. + +The two girls were walking home from school. + +"Shall you tell Nora and Jessica?" asked Anne. + +"No," said Grace. "Let us keep the sprained ankle part of the story a +secret. They are loyal to you, at any rate, and Nora would be so angry. I +am afraid I couldn't keep her from going straight to Miss Thompson and +making a general mess of things. I am so sorry, Anne, dear, but I guess we +shall have to weather the gale together. It will die out after a while, +just as all those things do. Hush! Don't say anything now. Here come Nora +and Jessica." + +"What do you think!" cried Nora. "Edna Wright is giving a party next +Saturday, and she isn't going to invite either you or Anne." + +"How shocking!" said Grace. "We shall both die of grief at having been +slighted." + +She spoke lightly, and no one but Anne guessed how much the news hurt her. + +"We are not going," declared Nora, "and we told her so." + +"What did she say?" asked Grace. + +"We didn't give her time to answer," said Nora, "but rushed off to find +you. The whole thing is perfectly ridiculous! The idea of a lot of silly +little school girls thinking they own the earth. It's all Miriam's fault. +She has tried to be leader of her class ever since it was organized but +mark what I say, she'll never accomplish it. Pride will get a fall, one of +these days, and I hope I'll be around when it happens." + +"Never mind, Nora," said Grace soothingly. "Anne and I don't care. We'll +give a party at the same time, to our own crowd. I'll tell you what we'll +do. We will have a surprise party for Mrs. Gray. I'll write to Tom Gray +and ask him to come down for next Saturday. That will be a double surprise +to dear Mrs. Gray." + +"Fine!" cried Jessica. "We'll have Hippy and Reddy and David. Then our +circle will be complete. The other crowd will be furious. Those boys are +all popular, and I know that Edna intends to invite them." + +"Let's tell them at once, then," said Nora, "before the other girls get a +chance." + +The boys were promptly invited. Grace sent a note to Tom Gray, who found +it possible to get away for the week end. + +Reddy, Hippy and David received invitations to the other party, but +politely declined. Miriam endeavored to point out to her brother the folly +of his conduct, but David simply stared at her and said nothing. He knew +to what lengths her jealousy had carried her during the freshman year, and +although Nora had entirely omitted his sister's name from the conversation +when telling him of the recent trouble that had arisen, still David felt +that Miriam was at the bottom of it. + +Failing to elicit any response from her brother, she flew into a rage and +did not speak to him for a week, while David went serenely on his way, +and let her get over it as best she might. + +The surprise party proved a success. Mrs. Gray's delight at seeing her +"Christmas children" and having her beloved nephew with her was worth +seeing. The young people did all the "stunts" they knew for her +entertainment, and the boys repeated their Shakespearian performance for +the old lady, who laughed until she could laugh no more. + +It was their turn to be surprised, however, when the old butler suddenly +appeared and announced that supper was served. Mrs. Gray had held a word +of conversation with him directly after their arrival, which resulted in +an array of good things calculated to tempt the appetite of any healthy +boy or girl. + +After supper they had an old-fashioned "sing," with Jessica at the piano, +ending with "Home, Sweet Home" and the inevitable "Good Night, Ladies." + +"I'm sure we had a better time than the other crowd," said Nora as they +all walked down the street. + +"Of course," said Grace, but a little feeling of sadness swept over her as +she realized for the first time in her short life she had been slighted by +any of her school friends. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE SOPHOMORE BALL + + +It was the night of the sophomore ball. For a week past the class had been +making preparations. The gymnasium had been transformed into a veritable +bower of beauty. Every palm in Oakdale that could be begged, borrowed or +rented was used for the occasion. Drawing rooms had been robbed of their +prettiest sofa cushions and hangings, to make attractive cosy corners in +the big room. + +The walls were decorated with evergreens and class banners, while the +class colors, red and gold, were everywhere in evidence. The sophomores +had been recklessly extravagant in the matter of cut flowers, and bowls of +red roses and carnations ornamented the various tables, loaned by fond +mothers for the gratification of sophomore vanity. + +The girls had worked hard to outdo previous sophomore affairs, and when +all was finished the various teachers who were invited to view the general +effect were unanimous in their admiration. + +Once a year each of the four High School classes gave some sort of +entertainment. Readers of "GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE YEAR" will remember the +masquerade ball given by the sophomores, now juniors, and the active part +taken by Grace and her chums in that festivity. + +The present sophomores had decided to make their ball a larger affair than +usual, and had sent out invitations to favored members of the other +classes. An equal number of boys had been invited from the boys' High +School, and the party promised to be one of the social events of Oakdale. + +Mrs. Gray and a number of other prominent women of Oakdale, were to act as +patronesses. Mrs. Harlowe, usually a favorite chaperon with Grace's crowd, +had been ignored for the first time, and Grace was cut to the quick over +it. As for Grace herself, she had not been appointed to a single +committee. Prominent heretofore in every school enterprise, it was galling +to the high-spirited girl to be deliberately left out of the preparations. +Nora had been asked to help receive and Jessica had been appointed to the +refreshment committee, but on finding that Grace was being snubbed, both +had coldly declined to serve in either capacity. + +The four chums held more than one anxious discussion as to the +advisability of even attending the ball. + +"I think we ought to go, just to show those girls that we are impervious +to their petty insults," declared Grace. "We have as much right there as +any one else, and I am sure the boys we know will dance with us whether +the rest of the girls like it or not. Besides, Mrs. Gray will be there, +and she will expect to see us. She doesn't know anything about this +trouble, and I don't want her to know. It would only grieve her. She is so +fond of Anne. By all means we must go to the ball. Wear your prettiest +gowns and act as though nothing had happened." + +That night, the four young girls, in their party finery, sat waiting in +the Harlowe's drawing room for their escorts--David, Hippy and Reddy. Anne +wore the pink crepe de chine which had done duty at Mrs. Gray's house +party the previous winter. Grace wore an exquisite gown of pale blue silk +made in a simple, girlish fashion that set her off to perfection. Nora was +gowned in lavender and wore a corsage bouquet of violets that had +mysteriously arrived that afternoon, and that everyone present suspected +Hippy of sending. Jessica's gown was of white organdie, trimmed with tiny +butterfly medallions and valenciennes lace. + +In spite of the possibility that she and Anne might be the subject of +unpleasant comment, Grace made up her mind to enjoy herself. She was fond +of dancing, and knew that she would have plenty of invitations to do so. +David would look after Anne, who was not yet proficient enough in dancing +to venture to try it in public. + +"If only Miriam and Julia Crosby behave themselves!" she thought, "for, of +course, Julia will be there. Miriam will see that she gets an invitation." + +Grace thrilled with pride as she entered the gymnasium. How beautifully it +had been decorated and how well everything looked. She was so sorry that +the girls had seen fit to leave her out of it all. Then she remembered her +resolution to forget all differences and just have a good time. + +Miriam, gowned in apricot messaline trimmed with silver, was in the +receiving line with half a dozen other sophomores. Grace and her party +would be obliged to exchange civilities with the enemy. She wondered what +Miriam would do. David solved this problem for her by taking charge of the +situation. Walking straight up to Miriam, he said a few words to her in a +low tone. She flushed slightly, looked a trifle defiant then greeted the +girls coldly, but with civility. The other sophomores followed her +example, but Grace breathed a sigh of relief as they walked over to where +Mrs. Gray, in a wonderful black satin gown, sat among the patronesses. + +"My dear children, I am so glad to see all of you!" exclaimed the +sprightly old lady. "How fine all my girls look. You are like a bouquet of +flowers. Grace is a bluebell, Anne is a dear little clove pink, Nora is a +whole bunch of violets and Jessica looks like a white narcissus." + +"Where do we come in?" asked David, smiling at Mrs. Gray's pretty +comparison. + +"Allow me to answer that question," said Hippy. "You are like the tall and +graceful burdock. Reddy resembles the common, but much-admired sheep +sorrel, while I am like that tender little flower, the forget-me-not. +Having once seen me, is it possible to forget me!" He struck an attitude +and looked languishingly at Nora. + +"I'll forget you forever if you look at me like that," threatened Nora. + +"Never again," said Hippy hastily. "Bear witness, all of you, that my +expression has changed." + +Just then the first notes of the waltz "Amoreuse" rang out, and the +gymnasium floor was soon filled with High School boys and girls dressed in +their best party attire. The dances followed each other in rapid +succession until supper was announced. This was served at small tables by +the town caterer. + +Mrs. Gray and her adopted children occupied two tables near together and +had a merry time. Many curious glances were cast in their direction by the +other members of the sophomore class. + +Some of the girls wondered whether it was a good thing to cut Anne +Pierson's acquaintance. She was certainly a friend of Mrs. Gray, and Mrs. +Gray was one of the most influential women in Oakdale. Frances Fuller, a +worldly-minded sophomore, dared to intimate as much to Miriam Nesbit, who +replied loftily: + +"If Mrs. Gray knew as much about Miss Pierson as we do, she would probably +not care for her any longer." + +"It's a pity some one doesn't tell her," said Julia Crosby, ever ready for +mischief. + +"Oh, some one will have the courage yet," answered Miriam, "and when she +does, that will end everything as far as Miss Pierson is concerned. Mrs. +Gray can't endure anything dishonorable." + +Just then a young man claimed Miriam for the two-step about to begin, and +Julia wandered off, leaving Frances to digest what had been said. The more +the latter thought about it, the more she felt that Mrs. Gray ought to be +warned against Anne. She decided that she had the courage; that it was +her duty to do so. + +Without hesitating, she blundered over to where Mrs. Gray sat for the +moment. + +"Mrs. Gray," Frances began, "I want to tell you something which I think +you ought to know." + +"And what is that, my dear?" asked the old lady courteously, trying vainly +to remember the girl's face. + +"Why, about Miss Pierson's true character," replied the girl. + +"Miss Pierson's true character?" repeated Mrs. Gray. "I don't understand +what you mean." + +"That she is dishonorable and treacherous. She betrayed the sophomore +basketball signals to the juniors, and then denied it, when her class had +positive proof against her. Besides, her father is a disreputable actor, +and she was an actress before she came here. We thought if you knew the +truth you wouldn't uphold any such person." Frances paused. She thought +she had made an impression upon her listener. + +Mrs. Gray sat silent. She was too deeply incensed to trust herself to +speak. Frances looked complacent. She evidently hoped to be commended for +her plain speaking. Then Mrs. Gray found her voice. + +"Young woman," she said, "you ought to be ashamed of yourself. What can +you hope to gain by saying unkind things about a nice, gentle, little girl +who is in every respect worthy of all the love and regard that can be +given her? I do not know what you can be thinking of to speak so +slightingly of one of your classmates, and I am sorry to be obliged to +remind you that it is the height of ill breeding to abuse a person to his +or her friends." + +With these words, Mrs. Gray turned her back squarely upon the dazed girl, +who slowly arose, and without looking at Mrs. Gray, walked dejectedly +across the room. But Miriam Nesbit lost one supporter from that minute on. + +"Hateful things," said the mortified Frances, looking towards Julia and +Miriam. "I believe they are more to blame than Miss Pierson ever thought +of being." + +When Grace paused at Mrs. Gray's side after the two-step, she saw plainly +that the old lady was much agitated. + +"Grace," she said quickly, "what is all this nonsense about Anne?" + +"O Mrs. Gray," cried Grace. "Who could have been so unkind as to tell you? +We didn't want you to know. It is all so foolish." + +"But I want to know," said the old lady positively. "Anne is so very dear +to me, and I can't allow these hare-brained girls to make damaging +statements about her. Tell me at once, Grace." + +Grace reluctantly gave a brief account of her recent disagreement with her +class and the unpleasantness to which Anne had been subjected. + +"What does ail Miriam Nesbit? She used to be such a nice child!" exclaimed +Mrs. Gray. "Really, Grace, I feel that I ought to go straight to Miss +Thompson with this." + +Grace's heart sank. That was just what she did not want Mrs. Gray to do. + +"Dear Mrs. Gray," she said, patting the old lady's hand, "it is better for +us to fight it out by ourselves. If Miss Thompson knew all that had +happened, she would forbid basketball for the rest of the season. She is +awfully opposed to anything of that kind, and would champion Anne's cause +to the end, but Anne would rather let matters stand the way they are, than +lose us our basketball privilege. You see, the juniors have won the first +game, and if basketball were stopped now we would have no chance to make +up our lost ground. I firmly believe that all will come right in the end, +and I think the girls will get tired of their grudge and gradually drop +it. Of course it hurts to be snubbed, but I guess we can stand it. We have +some friends who are loyal, at any rate." + +"I suppose you are right, my dear," responded the old lady. "It is better +for old folks to keep their fingers out of young folk's pies. But what did +that pert miss mean about Anne's father being an actor? I had an idea he +was dead." + +So Grace told Mrs. Gray the story of Anne's father, beginning from where +he had intercepted Anne on her way from the aeroplane exhibition during +her freshman year, up to the time of the arrival of his letter begging for +money. + +"Anne used her freshman prize money last year to help him out of trouble. +He forged a friend's name for one hundred dollars, and would have had to +go to prison had she not made good the money he took, I always wanted you +to know about it, Mrs. Gray, but Anne felt so badly over it, she begged me +never to tell any one." + +"Your story explains a great many things I never before understood," said +Mrs. Gray. "That doll that was sent to the Christmas party last year, for +instance. But how did Miriam find out about it?" + +"We don't know," said Grace. "Her doings are dark and mysterious. Find out +she did; and she has told the story with considerable effect among the +girls." + +"It is too bad," mused Mrs. Gray. "I should like to right matters were it +possible, but as long as you don't wish it, my dear, I suppose I must let +you fight it out by yourselves. But one thing I am sure of, Anne shall +never want for a friend as long as I live. Now run along and have a good +time. I've kept you here when you might have been dancing." + +"I have loved being with you," said Grace. "I shall not tell Anne about +what was said," she added in a lower tone. + +"That is right, Grace," responded Mrs. Gray. "No need of hurting the +child's feelings." + +During the balance of the evening nothing occurred to discomfit either +Grace or Anne. To be sure there was a marked coolness exhibited by most of +their classmates, but David took charge of Anne and saw to it that nothing +disturbed her. Grace, who was a general favorite with the High School boys +of Oakdale, could have filled her programme three times over. She was the +embodiment of life and danced with such apparent unconcern that the mind +of more than one sophomore was divided as to whether to cleave to Miriam +or renew their former allegiance to Grace. + +It was well after one o'clock when the "Home, Sweet Home" waltz sounded. +The floor was well filled with dancers, for the majority of the guests had +remained until the end of the ball. As the last strains of the music died +away the sophomores sent their class yell echoing through the gymnasium. +It was answered by the various yells of the other classes, given with true +High School fervor. Each class trying to outdo the other in the making of +noise. + +Sleepy chaperons began gathering up their charges. The sophomore ball was +a thing of the past. + +"These late hours and indigestible suppers are bound to break down my +delicate constitution yet," Hippy confided to Nora. + +"In that case I shall make it a point to see that you don't receive any +more invitations to our parties," Nora answered cruelly. "Then you can +stay at home and build up that precious health of yours." + +"Don't mention it," replied Hippy hastily. "I would rather become an +emaciated wreck than deprive myself of your society." + +"It was simply glorious," said Anne to Grace as they stood waiting for +their carriage, "and was there ever such a nice boy as David!" + +Grace pressed Anne's hand by way of answer. She knew that David had +understood the situation and had taken care to steer Anne clear of shoals, +and Grace determined that no matter what Miriam might say or do in future, +for David's sake it should be overlooked. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A LION AT LAST + + +It was a week before the last borrowed decoration reposed in its original +place, and fully that long before the echoes of the sophomore ball died +out. It was pronounced the most successful class function given in Oakdale +for a number of years, and the sophomores felt justly proud of themselves. +Miriam Nesbit took particular pains to point out that the success of the +affair was in no way due to Grace Harlowe, and many of the girls who had +hitherto believed that Grace was a necessary factor in High School fun, +decided that they had perhaps overrated her ability. + +Grace was fully cognizant of their change of heart, and spent more than +one unhappy hour over it, but outwardly she carried herself as though +unaware of the many little ill-natured stabs directed toward her. Anne, +who was completely ignored, took it philosophically, her only regret being +the fact that Grace had been dragged into difficulties on her account. + +Thanksgiving had come and gone. The High School boys had played their +usual game of football with a neighboring school and whipped them to a +standstill, David had played on the team and covered himself with glory by +making a sensational touchdown. The girl chums had worn his colors and +shrieked themselves hoarse with joy over the prowess of their friend. + +Miriam, secretly proud of her brother, resolved to make a like record for +herself during the next basketball game, which was to take place during +the following week. She believed that it was the last touch needed to make +her the avowed leader of her class. She even dreamed that the basketball +captaincy might one day be hers. To be sure Grace had Nora on her side, +and Nora was one of the regular players, but the other two players were +Miriam's faithful allies. That made three against two, and the second team +had practically declared in her favor. Grace would have to do differently +if she expected to keep the captaincy. + +Meanwhile Grace was finding the captaincy of a team divided against itself +anything but satisfactory. The girls, with the exception of Nora, obeyed +her orders indifferently and as though under protest. It was almost +impossible to get every member to come to practice. Some one of them +invariably stayed away. On one occasion she spoke rather sharply to the +team about it, but her earnest words were received with sullen +resentment. + +"What is the use of working ourselves to death simply to have our game +handed over to the enemy?" one girl had muttered. + +Grace colored at this thrust, but closed her lips tightly and made no +reply. But the attitude of her team worked upon her mind, and she lost +confidence in herself. She realized that a new and injurious influence was +at work, and she was powerless to stem the tide of dissension that had +arisen. + +The practice game was played on the afternoon before the contest, and not +even Jessica was there to witness it, although she had formerly been taken +as a matter of course. When invited to attend practice she had scornfully +refused it. + +"No, thank you," she said. "If anything should go wrong to-morrow I'd be +accused of treachery. No one's reputation is safe in this class." At which +remark several sophomores had the grace to blush. + +The day dawned bright and clear. Grace arrived at the gymnasium long +before the others. She was worried and anxious over the behavior of her +team. She was half afraid that some one of them would absent herself, in +which case one of the substitutes would have to be called, and Grace +doubted whether they could be relied upon. + +Two months before, she had been certain that there were no players like +those of the sophomore organization. Now she had no confidence in them or +herself. She had a faint hope that when the game opened, her players would +forget their grievances and work for the honor of the sophomores. She +would do her best at all events, and Nora could be depended upon, too. All +this passed rapidly through Grace's mind as she waited for the team to +appear. + +The spectators were arriving in numbers. The gallery was almost full, and +it still lacked fifteen minutes of the time before the game would be +called. The proverbial little bird had been extremely busy, and all sorts +of rumors regarding the two teams were afloat. The juniors were, as usual, +seated in a body and making a great deal of unnecessary noise. The members +of the sophomore class were scattered here and there. Anne and Jessica sat +with three or four of the girls who had refused to pay any attention to +the talk about Anne. A dozen or more of Miriam's flock sat together +watching for the appearance of their favorite. Occasionally they glanced +over toward Anne, whispered to each other, and then giggled in a way that +made Anne wince and Jessica feel like ordering them out of the gallery. + +Grace and Nora stood talking together at one end of the gymnasium. Grace +kept an anxious eye on the clock. It was five minutes of two and Miriam +had not arrived. "Would she dare to stay away?" Grace wondered. At two +minutes of two there was a burst of applause from the section of the +gallery where Miriam's admirers were seated. Grace glanced quickly around +to see what had caused it, and beheld Miriam serenely approaching, a +satisfied smile on her face. She had waited until the last minute in the +hope of making a sensation, and had not been disappointed. Then the game +began. + +Julia Crosby and Grace Harlowe once more faced each other on the field of +action. This time Grace won the toss and sent the ball whizzing to the +goal thrower, who tried for goal and caged the ball without effort. This +aroused the sophomores, and Grace could have danced for joy as she saw +that they were really going to work in earnest. The juniors were on the +alert, too. If they won to-day that meant the season's championship. If +they won the third game, that meant a complete whitewash for the +sophomores. + +So the juniors hotly contested every inch of the ground, and the +sophomores found that they had their hands full. The first half of the +game closed with the score 8 to 6 in favor of the juniors. + +During the intermission of twenty minutes between halves, the sophomores +retired to the little room off the gymnasium to rest. The outlook was +indeed gloomy. It was doubtful whether they could make up their loss +during the last half. Marian Barber, Eva Allen and Miriam whispered +together in one corner. Grace sat with her chin in her hand, deep in +thought, while Nora stood staring out the window trying to keep back the +tears. Two or three of the substitutes strolled in and joined Miriam's +group. The whispering grew to be a subdued murmur. The girls were +evidently talking about Grace, hence their lowered voices. Their +long-suffering captain looked at them once or twice, made a move as if to +join them, then sat down again. Nora's blood was up at the girls' +rudeness. She marched over to the group and was about to deliver her +opinion of them in scathing terms, when the whistle sounded. There was a +general scramble for places. Then the ball was put in play and the second +half began. + +The sophomores managed to tie the score during the early part of the last +half, and from that on held their own. They fought strenuously to keep the +juniors from scoring. When the juniors did score, the plucky sophomores +managed to do the same soon after. There were two more minutes of the +game, and the score stood 10 to 10. It looked as though it might end in a +tie. One of the juniors had the ball. With unerring aim she threw it to +goal. It never reached there, for Miriam Nesbit made a dash, sprang +straight into the air and caught the ball before it reached its +destination. Quick as a flash she threw it to Nora, who threw it to Marian +Barber. The latter being near the basket threw it to goal without any +trouble. + +Before the juniors could get anywhere near the ball the whistle blew and +the game closed. Score 12 to 10. The sophomores had won. + +The noise in the gallery was deafening. Miriam's sensational playing had +taken every one by storm. A crowd of sophomores rushed down to the +gymnasium and began dancing around her singing their class song. Her +cheeks were scarlet and her eyes blazed with triumph. She was a lion at +last, and now the rest would follow. She felt sure that she would be asked +to take the place of Grace as captain. She had shown them what she could +do. Grace had done nothing but cause trouble. The team would be better off +without her. + +Anne and Jessica were waiting in the corridor for Grace and Nora. The two +players rapidly changed their clothes and soon the chums were walking down +the quiet street. + +"Well," said Jessica, "Miriam has done it at last." + +"She has, indeed," responded Grace, "and no one begrudges her her glory. +She made a star play and saved the day for us. She is loyal to the team +even if she doesn't like their captain." + +"I don't know about that," said Nora, "I think she might have exerted +herself during the first game if she wanted so much to show her loyalty. +She was anything but a star player, then. I have no faith in her, +whatever. She cares for no one but herself, and that star play was for her +own benefit, not because of any allegiance to her team. She's up to +something, you may depend upon that." + +"Oh, Nora, don't be too hard on her. She deserves great credit for her +work. Don't you think so, girls?" Grace turned appealingly to Anne and +Jessica. + +"It was a remarkable play," said Anne. + +Jessica made no answer. She would not praise Grace's enemy, even to please +Grace. + +"You may say what you please," said Nora obstinately, "I shall stick to my +own convictions. The way those girls stood in the corner and whispered +during intermission was simply disgraceful. Mark my words, something will +come of it." + +"Oh, here comes David on his motorcycle," called Anne delightedly. + +David slowed up when he saw the girls, alighted and greeted them warmly. +He at once congratulated them on their victory. + +"I congratulate you on having a star player for a sister," said Grace. "It +must run in the family." She referred to his late football triumphs. + +David flushed with pleasure, more at the compliment paid to his sister +than the one meant for him. + +"Sis can come up to the mark when she wants to," he said earnestly. "I +hope she repeats the performance." Then he abruptly changed the subject. +That one little speech revealed to his friends the fact that he understood +the situation and longed with all his heart for a change of tactics on the +part of his sister. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE WAYS OF SCHOOLGIRLS + + +The clang of the gong announced the end of school for the day, but some of +the sophomores lingered in their locker-room. + +They had a very disagreeable communication to make that afternoon, to one +of their class, and now that the time had come were inclined to shrink +from the ordeal. + +"I think Miriam should break the news herself," observed Marian Barber, +"as long as she is to succeed Grace." + +"Miriam isn't here," said Eva Allen, "she went home early. She told me she +could not bear to see anyone unhappy. She is so sensitive you know?" Eva +Allen was devoted to Miriam's cause. + +"Oh, I don't know about that," said practical Marian. "She'll make a good +captain, however, because she has showed more loyalty to the team than +Grace has." + +Marian firmly believed what she said. She had never been an ardent admirer +of Miriam, and had at first stubbornly refused to repudiate Grace. But +Miriam had little by little instilled into her the idea of Grace's +incompetency, until Marian, who thought only of the good of the team, +became convinced that a change of captains was advisable. Miriam's +brilliant playing in the recent game was the final touch needed, and now +Marian was prepared to do what she considered was her absolute duty. + +"Suppose we write Grace a letter," suggested one of the substitutes, "as +long as no one seems anxious to tell her." + +"Hush," exclaimed Eva Allen, holding up her finger. "Here come Nora and +Jessica. I know they are going to make a lot of fuss when they hear the +news. Suppose we go back to the classroom and write the letter. We can all +sign our names to it, and then we'll be equally to blame." + +The conspirators accordingly trooped into the corridor, just as Nora and +Jessica were about to enter the locker-room. + +"What in the world is the matter now?" called Jessica. "You girls looks as +guilty as though you'd stolen a gold mine." + +"Wait and see," said Eva with a rather embarrassed laugh, as she hurried +after the others up the stairs. + +"Do you know, Jessica, I believe they're up to some hateful mischief. What +did I tell you the other day? Those girls have given Grace the cold +shoulder more than ever, since the game. They have been following Miriam +about like a lot of sheep. Grace notices it, too, and it makes her +unhappy, only she's too proud to say so." + +"Never mind," said Jessica soothingly. "They'll be sorry some day. +Miriam's influence won't last. Grace did perfectly right in standing by +Anne, and you and I must always stand by Grace. Grace is a fine captain, +and----" + +"What are you saying about me?" demanded Grace herself, walking into the +locker-room with Anne. + +Jessica blushed and was silent, but Nora said glibly, "Oh, Jessica just +now said that you made a fine captain." Then she went on hurriedly, "I +think our chances for winning the championship are better than ever, don't +you?" + +"The juniors have been practising like mad since their defeat," mused +Grace. "They will make a hard fight next time. Miss Thompson told me +yesterday that she never saw better work in basketball than ours last +Saturday. I am so proud of my team, even though they haven't been very +nice to me lately. My whole desire is for them to win the final game. I +suppose a captain has about the same feeling toward her players that a +mother has toward her daughters. She is willing to make any sacrifice in +order to make fine girls of them." + +"And you are a fine captain," cried Anne. "I felt so proud of you the +other day. You handled your team so well. Knowing how hateful they have +been, it was wonderful to see you give your orders as though nothing had +happened. No other girl could have done it." + +"That is a nice compliment, Anne, dear," said Grace pleased with the words +of praise from her friend, for the bitterness of her recent unpopularity +had made her heart heavy. + +At that moment the sophomores whom Jessica and Nora had encountered filed +into the room. + +Each girl wore a self-conscious expression. Eva Allen carried an envelope +in her hand. She was confused and nervous. + +Once inside the door the girls paused and began a whispered conversation. +Then Eva Allen tried to push the envelope into another girl's hand; but +the girl put her hands behind her back and obstinately refused to take it. +There was another whispered conference with many side glances in Grace's +direction. + +Nora stood scowling savagely at the group. She noticed that it consisted +of the basketball team and its substitutes. They were all there except +Miriam. + +"If you have any secrets, girls," remarked Grace in a hurt tone, "please +postpone the telling of them for a few minutes. I am going, directly." + +She opened her locker and drew out her coat and hat, trying to hide the +tears that filled her eyes. + +Then Marian Barber impatiently took the envelope from Eva and stepped +forward. She had made up her mind to get the whole thing over as rapidly +as she could. + +"Er--Grace," she said, clearing her throat, "er--the team has----" + +"Well, what is it?" exclaimed Nora, irritated beyond her power of +endurance. "Why don't you speak out, instead of stuttering in that +fashion? I always did detest stuttering." + +"Marian has a note for you, Grace," interposed one of the substitutes +growing bolder. + +Marian placed the note in Grace's hand and turned slowly away. Up to that +minute she had believed that what they were about to do was for the best; +but all at once the feeling swept over her that she had done a +contemptible thing. She turned as though about to take the envelope from +Grace, but the latter had already opened it, and unfolding the paper began +reading the contents aloud. + +"Dear Grace," she read, "after a meeting to-day of the members of the +regular and substitute sophomore basketball teams, it was decided that +your resignation as captain of the same be requested. + +"We are sorry to do this, but we believe it is for the good of the team. +We feel that you cannot be loyal to its interests as long as you persist +in being a friend of one of its enemies." + +The names of the players, with the exception of Nora's and Miriam's, were +signed to this communication. + +After she had finished reading Grace stood perfectly still, looking +searchingly into the faces of her classmates. She was trying to gain her +self-control before speaking to them. + +She could hardly realize that her own team had dealt this cruel blow. For +the first time in her life she had received a real shock. She took a long +deep breath and clenched her hands. She did not wish to break down before +she had spoken what was in her mind. + +Nora was muttering angrily to herself. Jessica looked ready to cry, while +Anne, pale and resolute, came over and stood by Grace. She felt that she +had been the primary cause of the whole trouble. She had borne the girls' +unjust treatment of herself in silence, but, now, they had visited their +displeasure upon Grace, and that was not to be borne. + +"How dared you do such a despicable thing?" she cried. "You are cruel, +unfeeling, and oh, so unjust. You accused me of something I would scorn +to do, and not satisfied with that, visited your petty spite upon a girl +who is the soul of truth and honor. You may say what you choose about me, +but you shall not hurt Grace, and if you don't immediately retract what +you have written I will take measures which may prove most unpleasant to +all of you." + +Just what Anne intended to do she did not know, but her outburst had its +effect on the conspirators, and they squirmed uneasily under the lash of +her words. Perhaps, they had misjudged this slender, dark-eyed girl after +all. + +Before Anne could say more, Grace spoke quietly. + +"Sit down, all of you," she said at last, with a sweetness and dignity +that was remarkable in so young a girl. "I have something to say to you. +It is curious," she went on, "that I was just talking about our basketball +team when you came into the room. I had said to Nora, Jessica and Anne +that I wanted more than anything else in the world to beat the junior +team. Miss Thompson had been praising the team to me, and I said to the +girls that I thought I loved it just as a mother loves her daughters. +There is no sacrifice I wouldn't make to keep up the team's good work, and +that is the reason why I am going to make a sacrifice, now, and decline +to resign. If I had been a poor captain, you would have had a right to +ask for my resignation But I haven't. I have been a good, hard-working, +conscientious captain, and I have made a success of the team. None of you +can deny it. If you took a new captain at this stage it might ruin +everything, and I tell you I have thought too much about it; I have set my +heart on it so firmly that it would just break if we lost the deciding +game." + +Her voice broke a little. Nora was sobbing openly. It was hard work for +Grace to control her own tears. + +"Of course," she went on, clearing her throat and raising her voice to +steady it, "it will be a sacrifice for me to keep on being your captain +when you don't want me. It's no fun, I can assure you. Perhaps none of you +has ever felt the hurt that comes of being turned out by people who were +once fond of you. I hope you never will. I am still fond of all of you, +and some day, perhaps, you will see that you have made a mistake. At any +rate, I decline to resign my place. It was given to me for the year, and I +won't give it up." + +Grace turned her back and walked to the window. She had come at last to +the end of her strength. She leaned against the window jamb and wept +bitterly. + +But the address of Mark Anthony over the dead body of Caesar was not more +effective than this simple schoolgirl's speech. Every girl there melted +into tears of remorse and sympathy. + +"Oh, Grace," cried Marian Barber, "won't you forgive us? We never dreamed +it would hurt you so. Now that I look back upon it, I can't see how we +could have asked you to do it. We did believe that Miss Pierson betrayed +us; but after all, that had nothing to do with your being captain of the +team. I think you have been a great deal more loyal than we have. I want +to say right here, girls, that I apologize to Grace and scratch my name +off the list." + +She took a pencil, dashing it through her signature, which was the first +one on the letter. + +One by one each of the other girls put a pencil stroke through her name. + +Then they pinned on their hats, slipped into their coats and left the room +as quickly as possible. They were all desperately ashamed; each in her +secret heart wished she had never entered into the conspiracy. + +They had given the captaincy to Grace, and after all, they had no right to +take away what they had freely given, and for no better reason than that +Grace was loyal to a friend whom they distrusted. + +It was a cruel thing that they had done. They admitted it to each other +now, and wished they had never listened to Miriam Nesbit. + +Speaking of Miriam, who was to tell her that she had not supplanted Grace +after all, as captain of the team. + +"You are all cowards," exclaimed Marian Barber still buoyed up by her +recent emotions, "I am not afraid of Miriam, or anyone else, and I'll +undertake to tell her." + +But at the last moment she determined to break the news by letter. + +In the meantime, Miss Thompson had quietly entered the locker-room, where +Grace and her three chums were still standing. + +"Grace," said the principal, "I was passing by and I could not help +overhearing what has been said, and while I don't care to enter into the +little private quarrels of my girls, I want to tell you that you made a +noble defense of your position. I am very proud of you, my child." Miss +Thompson put her arms around the weeping girl and kissed her. "I wish +every girl in my school would make such a stand for her principles. You +were right not to have resigned. Always do what your judgment tells you is +right, no matter what the result is, and don't give up the captaincy!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A SKATING PARTY + + +The holidays had come and gone, and the pupils of Oakdale High School had +resigned themselves to a period of hard study. The dreaded mid-year +examinations stared them in the face, and for the time being basketball +ardor had cooled and a surprising devotion to study had ensued. + +Since the day that Grace had refused to give up her captaincy there had +been considerable change in the girls' attitude toward her. She had not +regained her old-time popularity, but it was evident that her schoolmates +respected her for her brave decision and treated her with courtesy. They +still retained a feeling of suspicion toward Anne, however, although they +did not openly manifest it. + +Miriam Nesbit had been inwardly furious over the outcome of her plan to +gain the captaincy, but she was wise enough to assume an air of +indifference over her defeat. Grace's speech had made considerable +impression on the minds of even Miriam's most devoted supporters and she +knew that the slightest slip on her part would turn the tide of opinion +against her. + +Grace was in a more cheerful frame of mind than formerly. She felt that +all would come right some day. "Truth crushed to earth shall rise again," +she told herself, and the familiar saying proved very comforting to her. + +Winter had settled down on Oakdale as only a northern winter can do. There +had been snow on the ground since Thanksgiving, and sleigh rides and +skating parties were in order. + +Grace awoke one Saturday morning in high good humor. + +"To-day's the day," she said to herself. "Hurrah for skating!" + +She hurried through her breakfast and was donning her fur cap and sweater, +when Anne, Jessica and Nora, accompanied by David, Hippy, Reddy and, to +her surprise and delight, Tom Gray, turned in at her gate. + + "'Oh, be joyful, oh, be gay, + For there's skating on the bay,'" + +sang Hippy. + +"Meaning pond, I suppose," laughed Grace, as she opened her front door. + +"Meaning pond?" answered Hippy, "only pond doesn't rhyme with gay." + +"You might say, + + "'Oh, be joyful, oh, be fond, + For there's skating on the pond,'" + +suggested David. + +"Fond of what?" demanded Hippy. + +"Of the person you've asked to skate with you," replied David, looking +toward Anne, who stood with a small pair of new skates tucked under her +arm. + +"I shall be initiated into all the mysteries of the world soon," she +observed, smiling happily. "Last year it was coasting and football and now +it's dancing and skating. When I once get these things on, David, I'll be +like a bird trying its wings, I'll flop about just as helplessly." + +"I'm awfully glad to see you, Tom," said Grace, "I did not expect to see +you until Easter." + +"Oh, I couldn't keep away," laughed Tom. "This is the jolliest place I +know." + +"Good reason," said Reddy, "we are the real people." + +"Stop praising yourself and listen to me," said Hippy. "Our pond has +frozen over in the most obliging manner. It's as smooth as glass. Let's go +there to skate. There's a crowd of boys and girls on it already." + +The pond on the Wingate estate was really a small lake, a mile or more in +circumference. While it froze over every winter, the ice was apt to be +rough, and there were often dangerous places in it, air-holes and thin +spots where several serious accidents had occurred. + +Therefore, Wingate's Pond was not used as much as the river for skating; +but this winter the ice was as smooth and solid as if it had been frozen +artificially, so the High School boys and girls could not resist the +temptation to skim over its surface. + +"Isn't it a fine sight?" asked Grace, as they came in view of the skaters +who were circling and gliding over the pond, some by twos and threes, +others in long rows, laughing and shouting. + +A big fire burned on the bank, rows of new-comers sat near it, fitting on +their skates. + +"Away with dull care!" cried Hippy, as he circled gracefully over the ice; +for, with all his weight, Hippy was considered one of the best skaters in +Oakdale. + +"Away with everything but fun," finished Grace who could think of nothing +save the joy of skating. "Come along, Anne. Don't be afraid. David and I +will keep you up until you learn to use those tiny little feet of yours." + +Anne's small feet went almost higher than her head while Grace was +speaking, and she sat flat down on the ice. + +"No harm done," she laughed, "only I didn't know it could possibly be so +slippery." + +They pulled her up, David and Grace, and put her between them with Tom +Gray on the other side of Grace as additional support, and off they flew, +while Anne, keeping her feet together and holding on tightly, sailed along +like a small ice boat. + +"This will give you confidence," explained David, "and later on you can +learn how to use your feet." + +But Anne hardly heard him, so thrilled was she by the glorious sensation. +As they flew by, followed by Hippy and Nora, with Reddy and Jessica, she +caught glimpses of many people looking strangely unfamiliar on skates. +Miriam passed, gliding gracefully over the ice with a troop of sophomores +at her heels. There were many High School boys "cracking the whip" in long +rows of eight or more, while there were some older people comfortably +seated in sleigh chairs which were pushed from behind, generally by some +poor boys in Oakdale, who stood on the bank waiting to be hired. + +"Now, we'll have a lesson," exclaimed David when they had reached the +starting point again, while the others lost themselves in the crowd. Anne +was a good pupil, but she was soon tired and sat down on a bench near the +bank. + +"Do go and have a good skate yourself, David," she insisted. "I'll rest +for awhile and look on." + +But it was far too cold to sit still. + +"I'll give myself a lesson," she said. "This is a quiet spot. All the +others seem to have skated up to the other end." + +As she was carefully taking the strokes David had taught her, with an +occasional struggle to keep her balance, she heard a great shouting behind +her. The next instant, some one had seized her by the hand. + +"Keep your feet together!" was shouted in her ear, and she found herself +going like the wind at the end of a long line of girls. They were juniors, +she saw at once, and it was Julia Crosby at the whip end who had seized +her by the hand. + +Anne closed her eyes. They were going at a tremendous rate of speed, it +seemed to her, like a comet shooting through the air. Then, suddenly, the +head of the comet stood still and the tail swung around it, and Anne, who +represented the very tip of the tail and who hardly reached to Julia +Crosby's shoulder, felt herself carried along with such velocity that the +breath left her body, her knees gave way and she fell down in a limp +little bundle. Julia Crosby instantly let go her hand and the impetus of +the rush shot her like a catapult far over the ice into the midst of a +crowd of skaters. + +But the juniors never stopped to see what damage had been done. They +quickly joined hands again, and were off on another expedition almost +before Anne had been picked up by David and Hippy. + +"It's that Julia Crosby again," cried David. "I wish she would move to +Europe. I'd gladly buy her a ticket. The town of Oakdale isn't big enough +to hold her and other people. She's always trying to knock somebody off +the side of the earth." + +Anne went home, tired and bruised. She had had enough of skating for one +morning David returned to join the others; for this was not the last of +the day's adventures and Julia Crosby, before sunset, was to repent of her +cruelty to Anne. + +In the meantime Grace and Tom had skated up to the far end of the pond. + +"Well, Grace," said Tom, "how has the world been using you? I suppose you +have been adding to your laurels as a basketball captain." + +"Far from it," said Grace a trifle sadly. "Miriam Nesbit is star player at +present." + +They skated on for some time in silence. Tom felt there was something +wrong, so he tactfully changed the subject. + +"Who is the girl doing the fancy strokes?" he asked, pointing to Julia +Crosby, who, some distance ahead of them, was giving an exhibition of her +powers as a maker of figure eights and cross-cuts. + +"That's the junior captain," answered Grace. "I hope she won't fall, +because she's heavy enough to go right through the ice if she should have +a hard tumble." + +"Suppose we stop watching her," suggested Tom. "I don't want to see her +take a header, and people who show off on skates always do so, sooner or +later." + +They changed their course toward the middle of the pond, while Julia, who +was turning and circling nearer the shore, watched them from one corner of +her eye. + +Suddenly Grace stopped. + +"Julia! Julia!" she cried. "Miss Crosby!" + +"What's the matter?" demanded Tom. + +"Don't you see the danger flag over there? She will skate into a hole if +she keeps on. The ice houses are near here, and I suppose it is where they +have been cutting ice." + +"Hello-o!" cried Tom, straining his lungs to reach the skater, who looked +back, gave her usual tantalizing laugh and skated on. + +"You are getting onto thin ice," screamed Grace in despair, beckoning +wildly. "Stop! Stop!" + +Julia Crosby was skating backwards now, facing the others. + +"Catch me if you can," she called, and the wind carried her words to them +as they flew after her. + +Then Grace, who had been anxiously watching the skater and not the ice, +stumbled on a piece of frozen wood and fell headlong. She lay still for an +instant, half stunned by the blow, but even in that distressful moment she +could hear the other girl's derisive laughter. + +Tom called again: + +"You'll be drowned, if you don't look where you are going." + +"Why don't you learn to skate?" was Julia's answer. + +"O Tom," exclaimed Grace. "Leave me. I'll soon get my breath. Do go and +stop that girl. The pond's awfully deep there." + +"Miss Crosby," Tom Gray called, "won't you wait a minute? I have something +to tell you." + +"Catch me first!" she cried. + +She turned and began skating for dear life, bending from the waist and +going like the wind. + +"I think I'll try and catch her from the front," he said to himself. "I +don't propose to tumble in, too, and leave poor Grace to fish, us both +out." + +With arms swinging freely, he made for the center of the pond. As he +whizzed past the girl, he turned with a wide sweep and came toward her, +pointing at the same time to the white flag. But it was too late. In her +effort to outstrip him, Julia slid heavily into the danger zone. + +There was a crash and a splash, then down she went into the icy water, +followed by Tom, who had seized her arm in a fruitless effort to save her. + +For an instant Tom was paralyzed with the coldness of the water. Still, +keeping a firm grip on the arm of the girl who had been responsible for +his ice bath, he managed to clutch the ledge of ice made by their fall +with his free hand. + +"Take hold of the ice and try to help yourself a little," commanded Tom. + +Julia made a half-hearted attempt, and managed to grasp the ledge, but her +hold was so feeble that Tom dared not withdraw his support He was +powerless to act, and they would both drown unless help came quickly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A BRAVE RESCUE + + +Grace was still where she had fallen, cooling a large, red lump on her +forehead by applying her handkerchief first to the ice and then to the +swollen place, when she suddenly felt herself to be entirely alone in the +world. + +"Everybody has gone home to dinner!" she exclaimed, as she glanced over +her shoulder at the other end of the pond, now denuded of skaters. + +Then she shifted her position, looking for Tom and Julia. She had never +dreamed, when she saw her friend go whizzing across the ice, that he had +not caught the reckless girl in time to warn her of her danger. + +In a flash she saw the empty expanse of ice before her. She leaped to her +feet, balancing herself with difficulty, for her head was still dizzy from +the blow. + +"Tom! Tom Gray!" she called. "Where are you?" + +"Run for help!" came the answer. In another moment she saw them clinging +to a broken ledge of ice, Tom supporting Julia Crosby. + +As for the junior captain, she was weeping bitterly, and making no attempt +to help herself. + +Grace anxiously scanned the expanse of the ice. It was nearly a mile to +the other end of the pond, and the last group of skaters had disappeared +over the brow of the hill. + +"You must think quickly," she said to herself. + +Her eyes took in the other shore. Not a soul was there, not a dwelling of +any sort; nothing but the great ice house that stood like a lonely +sentinel on the bank. Yet something seemed to tell her that help lay in +that direction. + +Once before, in a moment of danger, Grace had obeyed this same impulse and +had never regretted it. Once again she was following the instinct that +might have seemed to another person anything but wise. + +Skating as she had never skated before, Grace Harlowe reached the shore in +a moment. Here, dropping to the bank, she quickly removed her skates, then +ran toward the ice house, feeling strangely unaccustomed to walking on the +ground after her long morning on skates. + +"What if I am off on a wild-goose chase?" she said to herself. "Suppose +there is no one there?" She paused for an instant and then ran on faster +than before. + +"I shall find help over there, I know I shall," she thought as she +hurried over the frozen ground and made straight for the ice house. There +was no time to be lost. Tom and Julia were liable to be sucked under and +drowned while she was looking for help. + +Grace pushed resolutely on. In the meantime hardly four minutes had really +elapsed since the skaters had tumbled into the water. + +On the other side of the ice house she came abruptly upon a man engaged in +loading a child's wagon with chips of wood. + +"Help!" cried Grace. "Help! Some people have broken through the ice. Have +you a rope?" + +The man made no answer whatever. He did not even look up until Grace shook +him by the shoulder. + +"There is no time to lose," she cried. "They may drown at any moment. +Come! Come quickly, and help me save them." + +The man looked at her with a strange, far-away expression in his eyes. + +"Don't you hear me?" cried Grace in an agony of impatience. "Are you +deaf?" + +He shook his head stupidly, touching his ears and mouth. + +"Deaf and dumb!" she exclaimed in despair. + +Holding up two fingers, Grace pointed toward the water. Then she made a +swimming motion. Perhaps he had understood. She could not tell, but her +quick eye had caught sight of a long, thin plank on the shore. + +Pulling off one of her mittens, she showed him a little pearl and +turquoise ring her mother had given her for a birthday present, indicating +that she would give it to him if he would help her. Then she seized one +end of the plank and made a sign for him to take the other; but the +stubborn creature began to unload the chips from the wagon. + +Grace ran blindly ahead, dragging the plank alone. + +"He's feeble-minded," she quivered. "I suppose I shall have to work this +thing by myself." + +When she had reached the bank, Grace heard him trotting behind her with +his little wagon. In another moment there was a tug at the board. She +turned and shook her fist angrily at him; but, without regarding her in +the least, he lifted the plank and rested it on the wagon. Then motioning +her to hold up the back end, he started on a run down the bank. + +"The poor soul thinks he's a horse, I suppose," she said to herself, "but +what difference does it make, if we can only get the plank to Tom and +Julia?" + +Grace soon saw, however, that the idea was not entirely idiotic. Later she +was to offer up a prayer of thanks for that same child's wagon. The deaf +and dumb man was wearing heavy Arctic rubbers, which kept him from +slipping; while Grace, whose soles were as smooth as glass, kept her +balance admirably by means of the other end of the plank. + +Tom and Julia Crosby had now been nearly ten minutes in the water. Twice +the ice had broken under Tom's grasp, while Julia, who seemed unable to +help herself, had thrown all her weight on the poor boy, while she called +wildly for help and heaped Grace with reproaches for running away. + +"If it were not for the fact that it would be the act of a coward," +exclaimed Tom at last, his teeth chattering with cold, "I would let go of +your arm and give up the job of supporting you in this ice water for +talking about Grace like that. Of course she has gone for help. Haven't +you found out long ago that she is the right sort?" + +"Well, why did she go in the wrong direction?" sobbed Julia. "Everybody is +over on the other bank. There is nothing but an ice house over here." + +"You may trust to her to have had some good, sensible reason," retorted +Tom loyally. + +"I don't think I can keep up much longer," exclaimed Julia, beginning to +cry again. + +"Keep on crying," replied Tom exasperated. "It will warm you--and remember +that I am doing the keeping up. I don't see that you are making any +special effort in that direction." + +Once Tom had endeavored to lift Julia out of the hole, and he believed, +and always insisted, in telling the story afterwards, that if she had been +willing to help herself it could have been accomplished. But Julia Crosby, +triumphant leader of her class, and Julia Crosby cold and wet as a result +of her own recklessness, were two different beings altogether. + +"Grace Harlowe has left us to drown," she sobbed. "I am so wretched. She +is a selfish girl." + +"No such thing," replied Tom vigorously. "Here she comes now, bringing +help as I expected I should think you'd be ashamed of yourself." He gave a +sigh of relief when he saw Grace and the strange man approaching at a +quick trot, the wagon and plank between them. His confidence in Grace had +not been misplaced. He felt that they would soon be released from their +perilous predicament. + +[Illustration: Grace and the Strange Man Quickly Approached.] + +"All right," called Grace cheerfully as she approached. "Keep up a little +while longer. We'll have you both out in a jiffy." + +Both rescuers slid the plank on the ice until one end projected over the +hole. + +Then the man and Grace both lay flat down on the other end and Grace +called "ready." + +Julia Crosby seized the board and pulled herself out of the water, safe, +now, from the breaking of thin ice at the edge. + +"Now, Tom," cried Grace. + +But Julia's considerable weight had already weakened the wood. When Tom +attempted to draw himself up, crack! went the board, and a jagged piece +broke off. This would not have been so serious if the ice had not given +way. Then, into the water, with many strange, guttural cries, slipped the +deaf and dumb man. Grace herself was wet through by the rush of water over +the ice, and just saved herself by slipping backward. + +There was still a small portion of the plank left, and, with Julia +Crosby's help, Grace thought they might manage to pull the two men out. + +But Julia looked hardly able to help herself. She sat shivering on the +bank trying to remove her skates. + +"Julia," called Grace desperately. "You must help me now or these two men +will drown. Help me hold down this plank." + +Aroused by Grace's appeal, Julia meekly obeyed, and, still shivering +violently, knelt beside Grace on the plank. But it was too short; when +Tom Gray seized one end of it he nearly upset both the girls into the +water. + +"Oh, what shall we do?" cried Grace in despair when suddenly there came +the thought of the little wagon. + +Quickly untwisting a long muffler of red silk from about her neck, Grace +tied it securely in the middle, around the cross piece of the tongue of +the stout little vehicle. Then she pushed it gently until it stood on the +edge of the hole. Giving one end of the muffler to Julia, Grace took the +other herself. + +"Catch hold of the tail piece, Tom," she cried. + +Fortunately the ice was very rough where the girls were standing, or they +would certainly have slipped and fallen. They pulled and tugged until +gradually the ice in front of them, with Tom's additional weight on it, +instead of breaking began to sink. But Tom Gray was out of the hole now; +helped by the wagon he slipped easily along the half-submerged ice, then +finally rolled over with a cry of relief upon the firm surface. + +In the same way they pulled out the deaf and dumb man, who had certainly +been brave and patient during the ordeal, although he had uttered the most +fearful sounds. + +As soon as his feet touched the solid ice, he seized his wagon and made +for the bank. Grace, remembering she had promised him her ring, hurried +after him, but she was chilled to the bone and could not run. By the time +she reached the bank he had rounded the corner of the ice house and was +out of sight. + +"He evidently doesn't care to be thanked," said Tom Gray as Grace returned +to where he and Julia stood waiting. + +"We had better get home as soon as possible or we'll all be laid up with +colds." + +The three half-frozen young people made their way home as best they could. +Their clothes had frozen stiff, making it impossible for them to hurry. +Julia Crosby said not a word during the walk, but when she left them at +the corner where she turned into her own street, she said huskily: "Thank +you both for what you did for me to-day, I owe my life to you." + +"That was a whole lot for her to say," said Grace. + +"She ought to be grateful," growled Tom. "She was the cause of all this +mess," pointing to his wet clothes. + +"I believe she will be," said Grace softly, "After all, 'It's an ill wind +that blows no one good.'" + +Grace's mother was justly horrified when Grace, in her bedraggled +condition, walked into the living room. She insisted on putting her to +bed, wrapping her in blankets and giving her hot drinks. Grace fell into a +sound sleep from which she did not awaken until evening. Then she rose, +dressed and appeared at the supper table apparently none the worse for her +wetting. + +Meanwhile Tom Gray had gone to his aunt's, given himself a brisk rubbing +down and changed his wet clothing for another suit he fortunately happened +to have with him. Thanks to his strong constitution and vigorous health, +he felt no bad effects. + +He then went down to the kitchen, asked the cook for a cup of hot coffee, +and, after hastily swallowing it, rushed off to find David, Hippy and +Reddy and tell them the news. He was filled with admiration for Grace. + +"She is the finest, most resolute girl I ever knew!" he exclaimed as he +finished his story. + +"Hurrah for Grace Harlowe!" shouted Reddy. + +"Let's go down to-night and see if she's all right?" suggested David. + +Before seven o'clock the four boys were on their way to the Harlowe's. +They crept quietly up to the living-room window. Grace sat by the fire +reading. Very softly they began a popular song that was a favorite of +hers. Grace's quick ears caught the sound of the music. She was out of +the house like a flash, and five minutes later the four boys were seated +around the fire going over the day's adventure. + +"The deaf and dumb man who helped you out is quite a character," said +Hippy. "I know him well. He used to work for my father. He isn't half so +foolish as he looks, either. As for that wagon you used as a life +preserver, I am proud to say that it was once mine." + +"It must have been made especially strong," observed Reddy. + +"It was. Hickory and iron were the materials used, I believe. I played +with it when but a toddling che-ild," continued Hippy, "and also smashed +three before my father had this one made to order. ''Twas ever thus from +childhood's earliest hour,'" he added mournfully. "I always had to have +things made to order." + +There was a shout of laughter at Hippy's last remark. From infancy Hippy +had been the prize fat boy of Oakdale. + +"It's only seven o'clock," said David. I move that we hunt up the girls +and have a party. That is, if Grace is willing." + +"That will be fine," cried Grace. + +Hippy and Reddy were despatched to find Nora and Jessica. While David took +upon himself the pleasant task of going for Anne. Tom remained with +Grace. He had a boyish admiration for this straightforward, gray-eyed girl +and made no secret of his preference for her. + +Inside of an hour the sound of girls' voices outside proclaimed the fact +that the boys' mission had not been in vain. The girls had been informed +by their escorts of the afternoon's happenings, but Grace and Tom were +obliged to tell the story all over again. + +"I hope Julia Crosby's ice bath will have a subduing effect upon her," +said Nora. "I am glad, of course, that she didn't lose her life, but I'm +not sorry she got a good ducking. She deserved something for the way she +dragged Anne into that game of crack the whip." + +"Let's talk about something pleasant," proposed Reddy. + +"Me, for instance," said Hippy, with a Cheshire cat grin. "I am a thing of +beauty, and, consequently, a joy forever." + +"Smother him with a sofa pillow!" commanded Tom. "He is too conceited to +live." + +Reddy seized the unfortunate Hippy by the back of the neck, while David +covered the fat youth with pillows until only his feet were visible and +the smothering process was carried on with great glee until Nora +mercifully came to his rescue. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A BELATED REPENTANCE + + +The following Monday as Grace Harlowe was about to leave the schoolroom, +Julia Crosby's younger sister, one of the freshman class, handed her a +note. It was from Julia, and read as follows: + + "DEAR GRACE: + + "Will you come and see me this afternoon when school is over? I + have a severe cold, and am unable to be out of bed. I have + something I must say to you that cannot wait until I get back to + school. + + "Your sincere friend, + + "JULIA" + +"Oh, dear!" thought Grace. "I don't want to go up there. Her mother will +fall upon my neck and weep, and tell me I saved Julia's life. I know her +of old. She's one of the weeping kind. I suppose it's my duty to go, +however." + +Grace's prognostication was fulfilled to the letter. Mrs. Crosby clasped +her in a tumultuous embrace the moment she entered the hall. Grace finally +escaped from her, and was shown up to Julia's room. + +She looked about her with some curiosity. It was a light airy room, +daintily furnished. Julia was lying on the pretty brass bed in one corner +of the room. She wore a dressing gown of pale blue eiderdown, and Grace +thought she had never seen her old enemy look better. + +"How do you do, Julia?" she said, walking over to the bed and holding out +her hand to the invalid. + +"Not very well," responded Julia hoarsely. "I have a bad cold and am too +weak to be up." + +"I'm sorry," said Grace, "the wetting didn't hurt me in the least. But, of +course, I wasn't in the water like you were. It didn't hurt Tom, either." + +"I'm glad you are both all right," said Julia. + +She looked solemnly at Grace, and then said hesitatingly, "Grace, I didn't +deserve to be rescued the other day. I've been awfully mean to you." She +buried her face in the bed clothing and sobbed convulsively. + +"Julia, Julia, please don't cry," said Grace, her quick sympathy aroused +by the distress of another. "Did you think we would leave you to drown? +You would have done the same for me. Don't you know that people never +think of petty differences when real trouble arises?" + +She laid her hand upon the head of the weeping girl. After a little the +sobs ceased and Julia sat up and wiped her eyes. + +"Bring that chair over and sit down beside me, Grace. I want to tell you +everything," she said. "Last year I was perfectly horrid to you and that +little Pierson girl, for no earthly reason either, I thought it was smart +to annoy you and torment you. After we had the quarrel that day in the +gymnasium, I was really angry with you, and determined to pay you back. + +"You know, of course, that I purposely tripped you the day of the +basketball game. I was awfully shocked when I found you had sprained your +ankle, but I was too cowardly to confess that I did it. Miss Thompson +would have suspended me from school. I didn't know whether you knew that I +had done it until I met you that day in the corridor, and the way you +looked at me made me feel miserable. Then we got hold of your signals." + +She paused. + +Grace leaned forward in her chair in an agony of suspense. + +"Julia," she said, "I don't care what you did to me; but won't you please +say that Anne didn't give you those signals?" + +"Miss Pierson did not give them to me," was the quick reply. + +"I'm so glad to hear you say it," Grace answered. "I knew she was +innocent, but the girls have distrusted her all year. She lost the list +accidentally, you know, but they wouldn't believe that she did." + +"Yes, I heard that she did," said Julia. "The list was given to me, but I +am not at liberty to tell who gave it. It was not your Anne, although I +was too mean to say so, even when I knew that she had been accused. I'll +write you a statement to that effect if you want me to do so. That will +clear her." + +"Oh, Julia, will you truly? I want it more than anything else in the whole +world. A statement from you will carry more weight with the girls than +anything I could possibly tell them. It will convince the doubters, you +know. There are sure to be some who will insist on being skeptical." + +Acting under Julia's direction, Grace brought a little writing case from a +nearby table, Julia opened it, selected a sheet of paper and wrote in a +firm, clear hand: + +"To the members of the sophomore class, and to all those whom it may +concern: + +"The accusation made against Anne Pierson last fall regarding the betrayal +of the basketball signals to the junior team is false. Our knowledge of +these signals came from an entirely different source. + + "JULIA CROSBY, + Capt. Junior Team." + +"And now," concluded Julia, "I have done something toward straightening +out the mischief I made. Will you forgive me, Grace, and try to think of +me as your friend?" + +"With all my heart," replied Grace, kissing her warmly. "And I am so happy +to-day. Just think, the junior and sophomore classes will be at peace at +last." + +The two girls looked into each other's eyes, and both began to laugh. + +"After two years' war the hatchet will be buried," said Julia a little +tremulously. + +"Oh, Julia!" exclaimed Grace, hopping about, "I've a perfectly splendid +idea!" + +"What is it?" asked Julia breathlessly. + +"Let's have a grand blow out and bury the hatchet with pomp and ceremony. +We'll have speeches from both classes, and a perfectly gorgeous feed +afterwards. You break the news to your class and I'll endeavor to get my +naughty children under control once more. I believe some of them love me a +little yet," she smiled. + +"Of course, they do," said Julia stoutly. "I must say I don't see why they +were so hateful to you, even if Anne Pierson were under suspicion. I know +I am to blame for helping the grudge along," she added remorsefully, "but +I am, not the only one." + +"I know," said Grace quickly. "There are lots of things I'd like to say, +but for certain reasons of my own I shall not say them. You understand, I +think." + +Julia nodded. She did, indeed, understand, and the full beauty of Grace +Harlowe's nobility of spirit was revealed to her. + +"You are the finest, squarest girl I ever knew, Grace," she said +admiringly. + +"Nonsense," laughed Grace, flushing a little at the tribute paid her by +the once arrogant junior captain. "You don't know me at all. I have just +as many faults as other girls, with a few extra ones thrown in. I have no +claim to a pedestal. I hope we shall be friends for the rest of our +schooldays and forever after. You will be a senior next year, and I shall +be a junior. It's time we put by childish quarrels, and assumed the high +and mighty attitude of the upper classes. It is our duty to become a +living example to erring freshmen." + +Both girls laughed merrily; then Grace rose to go. She kissed Julia +good-bye and walked out of the house as though on air. Her cup of +happiness was full to the brim. She carefully tucked the precious paper +away in her bag and sped down the street on winged feet. + +The incredible had come to pass. Her old-time enemy had become her friend. +She wondered if it could have ever come about by any other means. She +doubted it. She had always heard that "Desperate cases require desperate +remedies." The happenings of the past week seemed conclusive proof of the +truth of the saying. Furthermore, she believed in the sincerity of Julia +Crosby's repentance. It was more than skin deep. She felt that +henceforward Julia would be different. Best of all, she had the reward of +her own conscience. In being true to Anne she had been true to herself. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +AN OUNCE OF LOYALTY + + +When the girls of the sophomore class entered their locker-room the next +day they found a notice posted to the effect that a class meeting would be +held after school in the locker-room at which all members were earnestly +requested to be present. + +There was considerable speculation as to the object of the meeting, and no +one knew who had posted the notice. Grace kept her own counsel. She wished +to take the class by surprise, and thus make Anne's restoration to favor +complete. + +At recess Nora and Jessica brought up the subject, but found that Grace +apparently wished to avoid talking about it. + +"You'll attend, won't you, Grace?" asked Anne. + +"Of course," said Grace hastily. "Will you excuse me, girls? I have a +theorem to study." + +She felt that if she stayed a minute longer she would tell her friends the +good news and spoil her surprise. + +"What makes Grace act so queerly to-day?" said Jessica. "I believe she +knows something and won't tell us." + +"I'll make her tell it," said Nora, and ran after Grace. But just then the +gong sounded and recess was over. + +As soon as school was dismissed for the day, the entire sophomore class +crowded into the locker-room. They were curious to know what was in the +wind. Every member was present, and Grace felt a secret satisfaction when +Miriam Nesbit, looking rather bored, sauntered in. + +There was a confused murmur of voices. The girls chattered gayly to each +other, as they waited for some one to call the meeting to order. When +Grace left the corner where she had been standing with her three friends, +and stood facing her classmates, the talking instantly ceased. + +"Girls," she said, "I suppose you wonder who called this meeting, and why +it was called? I wrote the notice you all read this morning. I have +something to tell you which I hope you will be glad to hear." + +"At the beginning of the school year, some things happened that caused +unpleasant suspicions to rest upon a member of our class. You all know who +I mean. It has caused her and her friends a great deal of unhappiness, and +I am glad to be able at last to bring you the proof that she has been +misjudged." + +Grace paused and looked about her. She noted that Miriam had turned very +pale. + +"Just as I suspected," thought Grace, "she really did have a hand in that +signal affair." + +Then she continued. + +"A few days ago I had occasion to call upon the junior captain, Miss +Crosby. While there, she assured me that the juniors did receive our +signals, but that Miss Pierson had absolutely nothing to do with the +matter. I was not sure that you would care to take my word, alone, for +this"--Grace couldn't resist this one tiny thrust--"so she very kindly +gave me the assurance in writing, signed by herself." + +Grace then unfolded the paper and in a clear voice read Julia's statement. + +There was not a sound in the room. Grace stood waiting. She had done her +part, the rest lay with her classmates. + +Nora and Jessica had their arms around Anne, who had begun to cry quietly. +The relief was so great that it had unnerved her. Then Marian Barber +sprang to Grace's side and seized her by the hand. + +"Listen, girls," she cried, "I want to acknowledge for the second time +that I am heartily ashamed of myself. We have all been nasty and +suspicious toward Anne. We never gave her a chance to defend herself, we +just went ahead and behaved like a lot of silly children. I am sorry for +anything I have ever said about her, and I want to tell you right here +that I consider Grace Harlowe the ideal type of High School girl. I only +wish I were half as noble and courageous. I suppose you all wonder why +Grace went to see Julia Crosby. Well I'll tell you. I found out about it +from Julia's sister this morning." + +"Oh Marian, please don't," begged Grace, rosy with confusion. + +But the girls cried in chorus, "Tell us, Marian! Don't mind Grace!" + +When Marian had finished many of the girls were in tears. They crowded +around Anne and Grace vying with each other in trying to show their good +will. Then Eva Allen proposed three cheers for Grace and Anne. + +They were given with a will. The noise of the ovation bringing one of the +teachers to the door with the severe injunction, "Young ladies please +contain yourselves. There is too much noise here." + +The girls dispersed by twos and threes, until Marian Barber and the chums +were the only ones left. + +"I have a motto," said Marian, "that I shall bring here to-morrow and hang +in the locker-room. If I had paid more attention to it it would have been +better for me." + +"What is it, Marian?" asked Jessica. + +"Wait and see," replied Marian. "Oh, it's a good one, and appropriate, +too." + +After saying good-bye to Marian the four chums walked on together. + +"Are you happy, Anne, dear?" said Grace, slipping her hand into Anne's. + +Anne looked up at Grace with a smile so full of love and gratitude that +Grace felt well repaid for all she had endured for friendship's sake. + +"Everything has turned out just like the last chapter in a book," sighed +Nora with satisfaction "The sinner--that's Julia Crosby--has repented, and +the truly good people--Anne and Grace--have triumphed and will live happy +forever after." + +The girls laughed at Nora's remark. + +"Now I can go on planning for our big game without being afraid that the +girls will stay away from practice and do things to annoy and make it hard +for me," said Grace happily. "I know that we shall win. I feel so full of +enthusiasm I don't know what to do. Oh, girls, I forgot to tell you that +Julia Crosby and I have a perfectly splendid plan. But I promised not to +say anything to anyone about it until she comes back to school." + +"How funny it sounds to hear you talk about having plans with Julia +Crosby," said Jessica laughing. "You will make Miriam Nesbit jealous if +you take Julia away from her." + +"By the way, girls!" exclaimed Nora, "what became of Miriam? I saw her +enter the locker-room, but she wasn't there when Marian Barber began her +speech. I know she did not remain, because I looked for her and couldn't +find her." + +"I saw her go," said Grace quietly, "That is the only part of this story +that doesn't end well. She doesn't like Anne or me any better than before +and never will, I'm afraid. She influenced the girls against us, after the +first game, and you remember what she said at the basketball meeting, +don't you, Nora?" + +"Yes," responded Nora, "I do, and if she hadn't been David's sister I +would have told her a few plain truths, then and there." + +"I said at the beginning of the year that I believed Miriam had a better +self," said Grace thoughtfully. "I still believe it, and I am not going to +give her up yet." + +"I don't envy you the task of finding it," said Jessica. + +"I wonder what Marian Barber's motto is?" mused Anne. "She said it would +be a good one." + +"I have no doubt of that. Marian Barber doesn't usually do things by +halves when once she starts," said Jessica. "I am surprised that she ever +allowed herself to be drawn into Miriam's net. She seems awfully sorry for +it now." + +"Oh, girls," cried Nora suddenly. "I have a half a dollar." + +"Really?" said Jessica. "I didn't suppose there was that much money in +Oakdale." + +"My sister gave it to me this morning," Nora went on, ignoring Jessica's +remark. "I am supposed to buy a new collar with it, but if you are +thirsty----" + +"I am simply perishing with thirst," murmured Grace. + +Five minutes later the four girls were seated in the nearest drug store +busily engaged with hot chocolate, while they congratulated Nora on having +spent her money in a good cause. + +The sophomores smiled to themselves next morning at Marian's motto. It +hung in a prominent place in the locker-room and read: "An ounce of +loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +BURYING THE HATCHET + + +It was some days before Julia Crosby was able to return to school, but +when she did put in an appearance, she lost no time in taking her class in +hand and bringing about a much-needed reform. The part played by Grace +Harlowe in Julia's rescue had been related by her to various classmates +who had visited her during her illness, and Grace found that the older +girls were inclined to lionize her more than she cared to be. She received +praise enough to have completely turned her head had she not been too +sensible to allow it to do so. + +After holding a conference with Julia, the two girls sent out notices to +their respective classes that a grand reunion of the two classes would +take place on the next Saturday afternoon at one o'clock, at the old +Omnibus House, providing the weather permitted. A tax of twenty-five cents +apiece was levied on the members of both classes. "Please pay your money +promptly to the treasurer of your class," ended the notices, "if you wish +to have plenty to eat. Important rites and ceremonies will be observed. +You will be sorry if you stay away, as an interesting program is +promised. Please keep this notice a secret." + +"The field back of the Omnibus House is an ideal place for the burial," +Julia told Grace. "It was there that the 'Black Monks of Asia' held their +revel and were unmasked by the freshmen. Besides, it's quiet and we shan't +be disturbed." + +Grace agreed with her, and the two girls outlined the proceedings with +many a chuckle. + +The junior and sophomore classes had been requested to go directly to the +Omnibus House. + +"It would be great to have both classes march out there, but we should +have the whole of Oakdale marching with us before we arrived at the sacred +spot," observed Grace, with a giggle. + +"If we don't have a lot of freshmen to suppress it will be surprising. I +do hope the girls haven't told anyone," Julia answered. "By the way, we +have a hatchet at home that will be just the thing to bury. It is more +like a battle-ax than anything else, and looks formidable enough to +represent the feeling that the juniors and sophomores are about to bury. +Now, Grace, you must prepare a speech, for we ought to have representative +remarks from both classes. Then Anne Pierson must recite 'The Bridge of +Sighs,' after I have made it over to suit the occasion. We'll have to +have some pallbearers. Three girls from each class will do." + +Julia planned rapidly and well. Grace listened attentively. The junior +captain had remarkable energy. It was easy to see why Julia had always +headed her class. Julia in turn, was equally impressed with Grace's +ability. A mutual admiration society bade fair to spring up between the +two, so recently at swords' points. + +On Saturday the weather left nothing to be desired. It seemed like a day +in late spring, although it was in reality early March. At one o'clock +precisely the two classes, with the exception of one member, assembled. +Julia Crosby acting as master of ceremonies, formed the classes in two +lines, and marched them to the middle of the field. Here, to their +complete mystification, they saw a large hole about four feet in depth had +been dug. + +"Who on earth dug that hole, and what is it for?" inquired a curious +sophomore. + +"Hush!" said Julia Crosby reverently. "That is a grave. Be patient. Curb +your rising curiosity. Soon you shall know all." + +"Assistant Master Harlowe, will you arrange the esteemed spectators, so +that the ceremony may proceed?" + +Grace stepped forward and solemnly requested the girls to form a double +line on each side of the opening. The shorter girls were placed in the +front rows. + +"The sophomores will now sing their class song," directed the master of +ceremonies. + +When the sophomores had finished, the juniors applauded vigorously. The +juniors' song was next in order and the sophomores graciously returned the +applause. + +"I will now request the worthy junior members Olive Craig, Anne Green and +Elsie Todd, to advance. Honorable Assistant Master Harlowe, will you name +your trusted followers?" + +Grace named Nora, Jessica and Marian Barber who came to her side with +alacrity. + +"During the brief space of time that we are obliged to absent ourselves, +will every guest keep her roving eyes bent reverently on the ground and +think about nothing. It is well to fittingly prepare for what is to come." + +With this Julia marched her adherents down the field and around the corner +of the Omnibus House. She was followed by Grace and her band. There was a +chorus of giggles from the chosen helpers that was sternly checked by +Julia. + +Before their eyes stood a large, open paste-board box lined with the +colors of both classes, in which reposed the Crosby hatchet, likened to a +battle-ax by Julia. Its handle was decorated with sophomore and junior +ribbons, and around the head was a wreath of immortelles. A disreputable +looking sheaf of wheat lay across the end of the box. + +There was a smothered laugh from Nora, whose quick brain had grasped the +full significance of the thing. + +"This is not an occasion for levity," reprimanded Grace sternly. "Laughing +will not be tolerated." + +Three twisted ribbon handles of sophomore colors and three of junior +ornamented either side of the box. Each girl grasped a handle. + +"We will proceed with the ceremony," directed Julia. "Lift up the box." + +This was easier said than done. The handles were so close together that +the girls hardly had room to step. The journey was finally accomplished +without any further mishap than the sliding off of the wheat sheaf. This +was hastily replaced by Jessica before its fall had been marked by the +eagle eye of the master of ceremonies, who marched ahead with her +assistant. + +When the box had been carefully deposited at one side of the "grave," +Julia Crosby took her place beside it, and assuming a Daniel Webster +attitude began her address. + +"Honored juniors and sophomores. We have met together to-day for a great +and noble purpose. We are about to take a step which will forever after +be recorded among the doughty deeds of Oakdale High School. It will go +down in High School history as the glorious inspiration of a master mind. +We are going to unfurl the banner of peace and bury the hatchet. + +"Since the early days of our class history, war, cruel war, has raged +between the august bodies represented here to-day. On this very field many +moons ago the gallant sophomores advanced upon the, then, very fresh +freshmen, but retreated in wild confusion. It is therefore fitting that +this should be the place chosen for the burial of all grudges, jealousies +and unworthy emotions that formerly rent our breasts." + +Here Julia paused to take breath. + +The girls cheered wildly. + +Julia bowed right and left, her hand over her heart. When the noise had +subsided, she continued. She bewailed junior misdeeds and professed meek +repentance. She dwelt upon the beauty of peace and she begged her hearers +henceforth to live with each other amicably. + +It was a capital address, delivered in a mock-serious manner that provoked +mirth, and did more toward establishing general good feeling than any +other method she might have tried. In closing she said: + +"The hatchet is the symbol of war. The wheat-sheaf represents our elderly +grudge; but the immortelles are the everlasting flowers of good will that +spring from the planting of these two. We will now listen to a few remarks +from the pride of the sophomore class, Assistant Master of Ceremonies +Grace Harlowe." + +Grace attempted to speak, but received an ovation that made her flush and +laughingly put her hands over her ears. When she was finally allowed to +proceed, she delivered an oration as flowery as that of the master of +ceremonies. + +When the cries of approbation evoked by Grace's oration had died away, it +was announced that the "renowned elocutionist," Miss Anne Pierson, would +recite a poem appropriate to the occasion. Anne accordingly recited "The +Bridge of Sighs," done over by Julia Crosby, and beginning: + + "Take it up gingerly; + Handle with care; + 'Tis a relic of sophomore + And junior warfare." + +The intense feeling with which Anne rendered this touching effusion, +caused the master of ceremonies to sob audibly and lean so heavily upon +her assistant for support that that dignified person almost pitched head +first into the opening, and was saved from an ignominious tumble by one of +her attendants. This was too much for the others, who, forgetting the +solemnity of their office, shrieked with mirth, in which the spectators +were not slow to join. + +"I think we had better wind up the ceremony," said Julia with great +dignity. "These people will soon be beyond our control." + +The attendants managed to straighten their faces long enough to assist in +the concluding rites that were somewhat hastily performed, and the master +of ceremonies and her assistants held an impromptu reception on the spot. + +"Now," said Julia Crosby, "we have done a good day's work for both +classes. I only hope that no prying freshmen hear of this. They will be +sure to come here and dig up what we have gone to such pains to bury. They +have no respect for their superiors. However, you have all behaved +yourselves with true High School spirit, and I wish to announce that you +will find a spread awaiting you around the corner of the Omnibus House." + +There was a general hurrah at this statement, and the guests rushed off to +the spot designated. + +Grace had held an earnest conference with old Jean, and the result showed +itself in the row of tables rudely constructed to fit the emergency. He +it was who had dug the "grave." He now sat on the steps waiting to build a +fire, over which Grace had planned to make coffee for the hungry girls +whose appetites had been whetted by the fresh air. + +The money contributed by the classes had been used to good advantage by +Grace and Julia, and piles of tempting eatables gladdened the eyes of the +guests. + +For the next half hour feasting was in order. Juniors and sophomores +shared cups; as the supply of these were limited. At the end of that time +the last crumb of food had disappeared and the girls stood in groups or +walked about the field, discussing the various features of school life. + +Some one proposed playing old-fashioned games, and soon "puss in the +corner," "pom-pom-pull-away," and "prisoner's goal" were in full swing. + +"This brings back one's Grammar School days, doesn't it?" said Nora to +Grace. They were deep in a game of prisoner's goal, and stood for a moment +waiting for the enemy to move toward them. + +"I haven't had such a good, wholesale romp for ages," answered Grace, and +was off like the wind to intercept Eva Allen as she endeavored to make a +wide detour of their goal. + +The hours slipped by on wings. + +The start home was made about five o'clock. The juniors and sophomores +trooped back to Oakdale arm in arm, singing school songs and making the +welkin ring with their joyous laughter. + +The people of Oakdale smiled at the procession of happy girls and wondered +what particular celebration was in order. + +When the center of town was reached the party broke up with a great deal +of laughing and chattering, the girls going their separate ways in the +best of spirits. + +"I've had a perfectly fine time," declared Grace, as she said good-bye to +her chums, "and how glad I am that we are all friends again." + +She quite forgot when she made that statement that Miriam Nesbit had not +honored the reunion with her presence. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR + + +One more excitement was to quicken the pulses of the sophomores before +they settled down to that long last period of study between Easter +holidays and vacation. + +The great, decisive basketball game with the juniors was now to take +place. + +Grace, in conclave with her team, had gone over her instructions for the +hundredth time. They had discussed the strong points of the juniors and +what were their own weak ones. + +Miriam Nesbit was sullen at these meetings; but in the practice game she +had played with her usual agility and skill, so the girls felt that she +was far too valuable a member of the team for them to mind her humors. + +"Everybody is coming to-morrow to see us play," exclaimed Nora in the +locker-room, at the recess on Friday. "I don't believe the President's +visit would create more excitement, really," she added with a touch of +pride. + +"Did you know," interposed Anne, "that the upperclass girls are calling +Grace and Julia Crosby 'David and Jonathan'?" + +This was also an amusing piece of news at which the other girls laughed +joyously. In fact, there was no such feeling of depression before this +game as had affected the class when the first game was played. The +sophomores were cheerful and confident, awaiting the great battle with +courage in their hearts. + +"Be here early, girls," cautioned Grace, as they parted after school that +day. "Perhaps we may get in a little practice before the people begin to +come." + +Grace hurried through her own dinner as fast as she could, on the eventful +Saturday. + +"I shall be glad when this final game is over, child," exclaimed Mrs. +Harlowe anxiously, "I really think you have had more athletics this winter +than has been good for you, what with your walking, and skating, dancing, +and now basketball." + +"You'll come, won't you, mother?" cried Grace, seizing her hat and rushing +off without listening to Mrs. Harlowe's comments. "We are sure to win," +she called as she waved her a good-bye kiss. + +There was no one in the school building when Grace got back; that is, no +one except the old janitress, who was sweeping down the corridor, as +usual. The other girls had not been so expeditious and Grace found the +locker-room deserted. + +With trembling eagerness she was slipping on her gymnasium suit and +rubber-soled shoes, when she suddenly remembered that she had left her tie +in the geometry classroom. She had bought a new one the day before, placed +it in the back of her geometry and walked out of the classroom, leaving +book, tie and all behind. + +"I'll run up and get it right away, before the others come," she said to +herself. + +Running nimbly up the broad stairway, she entered the deserted classroom +and hurried down the aisle to the end of the room where she usually sat +during recitation. + +"Here it is," she murmured, taking it out of the book and tying it on. +Then, sitting down at the desk, she rested her chin in her hands. The +quiet of the place was soothing to her excited nerves, and since it was so +early she would rest there for a moment and think. + +Grace might have dreamed away five minutes when she heard the distant +sound of voices below. + +"Dear me," she exclaimed, laughing, "they'll scold me for not being on +time. I must hurry." So she hastened up the aisle to the door, which was +shut, although she had not remembered closing it after her. + +She turned the knob, still smiling to herself, but the door stuck fast. It +was locked! + +Grace was so stunned that for a moment she hardly comprehended what had +happened. She sat down and tried to collect her thoughts. Locked up in an +upper classroom on the afternoon of the great game! + +She tried the one other door in the room. It also was locked. As for the +great windows, they were too large for her to push up without a pole. + +"I'll try calling," she said. "They may hear me." + +But her calls were fruitless, and beating and knocking on the door panels +seemed nothing but muffled sounds in the stillness. + +"Oh! Oh!" she cried, rushing wildly from doors to windows and back again. +"What shall I do! What shall I do?" + +In the meantime, it was growing late. The sophomores had assembled and +were confidently waiting for their captain. + +"She's late for the first time," observed one of the girls, "but we'll +forgive her under the circumstances." + +"Maybe she's in the gymnasium," suggested Anne, hurrying off to look for +her friend. In spite of herself she felt some misgivings and she meant to +lose no time in finding her beloved Grace. + +The gallery was already half full of people. Anne moved about looking for +David, or some one who could help her. Just then Mrs. Harlowe appeared at +the door. + +"Where is Grace, Mrs. Harlowe?" Anne demanded eagerly. + +"I don't know, dear," answered Mrs. Harlowe "She ate her dinner and went +off in such a hurry that I hardly had time to speak to her. She told me +she wanted to get back to meet the girls." + +Anne ran back to the locker-room. + +"Grace left home hours ago," she cried. "I just felt that something had +happened." + +Jessica opened Grace's locker. + +"Grace must be in the building," she exclaimed "Here are her clothes." + +The girls began to rush about wildly, looking for their captain in the +various rooms on the basement floor. + +In a few moments a junior came to the door. + +"The game will be called in ten minutes," she said. "Are you ready?" + +"Yes," answered Nora calmly. "Be careful," she whispered. "Don't let them +know yet." + +Anne ran again to the gymnasium. + +"I'll get David this time," she said to herself. "Something will have to +be done if Grace is to be found in time." + +David was sitting at one side of the gallery with Reddy and Hippy. + +He looked very grave when Anne whispered the news to him. The place was +packed with impatient spectators. The junior team was already standing on +the floor talking in low voices as they waited impatiently for their +opponents to appear at the opposite end. + +"She must be somewhere in the building," David ejaculated. "That is if she +has on her gymnasium suit. Have you looked upstairs yet?" + +"No," replied Anne, "but we have been all through the downstairs' rooms." + +As they ran up the steps they heard the shrill whistle that summoned the +players to their positions. + +"Come on," cried Nora. "Miriam, you will have to take Grace's place, and +Eva Allen will substitute for you." + +It still lacked a few moments of the toss up; the whistle having been +blown sooner to hurry the dilatory sophomores, who seemed determined to +linger, unaccountably, in the little side room. + +But in that brief time a remarkable change had taken place in the demeanor +of Miriam Nesbit. Two brilliant spots burned on her cheeks, and her black +eyes flashed and glowed with happiness. The other girls were too downcast +and wretched to notice the transformation. They walked slowly into the +gymnasium and stood, ill at ease and downcast, at their end of the hall. + +A wave of gossip had spread quickly over the audience, that sat waiting +with breathless interest for the appearance of the tardy sophomore. + +What had happened? Had there been an accident? + +No; it was all a mistake. There they were. And tremendous applause burst +forth, which died down almost as soon as it had begun. Where was Grace +Harlowe, the daring captain of the sophomore team, who had boasted that +her team would win the game if it took their last breath to do it? + +There was a great craning of necks as the spectators looked in vain for +the missing Grace. + +Hippy dropped his chin upon his breast disconsolately. + +"I feel limp as a rag," he groaned. "Where, oh, where, is our gallant +captain? I'll never believe Grace deserted her post." + +In the meantime poor Grace, locked in the upper classroom, had +concentrated all her thoughts and mental energies on a means of making her +escape in time. She sat down quietly, and, folding her hands, began to +consider the situation. In looking back long afterwards upon this tragic +hour, it seemed to her that it was the blackest moment of her life. The +walls were thick. The doors heavy and massive. The ceilings high. There +was no possibility of her cries being heard below. It is true she might +break a window, but what good would that do? She couldn't jump down three +stories into a stone court below. She went to the window and looked out. + +"If I hung by this window sill," Grace said aloud, "I believe my feet +would just reach the cornice of the second-story window." + +Seizing a heavy ruler from one of the desks, she ran to the window and +deliberately smashed out all the plate glass in the lower sash. Then, +hoisting herself onto the sill, she looked down from what seemed to be +rather a dizzy height. But nerve and determination will accomplish +anything, and Grace turned her eyes upward. + +"I shall do it," she kept saying to herself over and over. + +Clinging to the window sill, she gradually let herself down until her feet +touched the top of the cornice underneath. Then, steadying herself she +looked down. The cornice ledge was quite broad; broad enough to kneel on, +in fact. She was glad of this, for she had intended to kneel on it, +whatever its width. + +With infinite caution, she gradually slipped along the ledge until she was +kneeling. Resting her elbows on the stone shelf, she lowered herself to +the next window sill. There she stood for a moment, looking in at the +empty classroom. + +The door into the corridor stood open, and as she clung to the narrow +ledge, her face pressed against the window, she wondered how she was going +to get in. + +"Unless I butt my head against this plate glass," she exclaimed, "I really +don't think I can make it. I can't kick in the glass, for fear of losing +my balance." + +Suddenly she heard her name called. + +"Grace! Grace! Where are you?" + +First it was David's voice, and then Anne's, and then the two together, +echoing through the empty corridors and classrooms. + +"I'm here," she answered. "Help! Help!" + +Fortunately, they were passing the door at that instant and heard her +muffled cries. + +"Here," she cried again, and they saw her at last, clinging desperately to +the window ledge. + +"I don't dare open the window," exclaimed David, thinking aloud. "The +slightest jar might make her lose her balance. Grace," he cried, "I'll +have to break out the upper sash. Lower your head as much as possible and +close your eyes." + +Another instant, and Grace was crouching in a shower of broken glass, +which fell harmlessly on her back and the top of her head. David knocked +off the jagged pieces at the lower end, and Grace climbed nimbly over the +sash. + +"There's no time for explanations now," she cried. "I was mysteriously +locked in. Has the game been called?" + +David looked hurriedly at his watch. + +"You have just a minute and a half," he exclaimed, and the three ran madly +down the steps and into the gymnasium just as the whistle blew and the +girls took their places. + +When Grace, covered with dust, a long, red scratch across one cheek, +rushed into the gymnasium, wild applause shook the walls of the building, +for the honor of the sophomore class was saved. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE GREAT GAME + + +It was a pitched battle from the very beginning. + +The junior team was in splendid trim, and they played with great finish +and judgment; but the sight of Grace, one side of whose face was tinged +with blood that had risen to the surface from the deep scratch, seemed to +spur the sophomores to the most spectacular and brilliant plays. + +Only one girl lagged, and was not in her usual trim. It was Miriam Nesbit, +whose actions were dispirited and showed no enthusiasm. Her shooting was +so inaccurate that a wave of criticism spread over the audience, and the +members of her own class watched her with deep anxiety. When the first +half ended, however the sophomores were two points to the good. + +"Grand little players!" cried Hippy, expressing his joy by kicking both +feet against the wooden walls as hard as he could, while he clapped his +hands and roared with all his might. + +"The gamest little team I ever saw," answered Reddy. + +But David, who had resumed his seat beside them, made no reply. He rose +presently and went to find his sister, who was sitting somewhat apart from +the other girls in gloomy silence. + +"What's the matter with you, sister?" he asked gently. "You are not +playing as well as usual. I expected you, especially, to do some fine work +to-day. On the contrary, you have never played worse." + +Miriam looked at her brother coldly. + +"Why should I help them when they have dishonored me?" she demanded +fiercely. + +"How have they dishonored you, Miriam?" asked David. + +"By making me the last in everything; putting me at the foot," she said, +stifling a sob of anger. + +David looked at his sister sorrowfully. He saw there was no reasoning with +her in her present state of mind; yet knowing her revengeful spirit, he +dreaded the consequences. + +"Miriam," he said at last, speaking slowly, "perhaps, some day, you will +learn by experience that the people who give a square deal are the only +ones who really stay at the head. They always win out; and those who are +not on the level----" He stopped. A sudden suspicion had come into his +mind. + +"You don't mean to say that it was you who----" + +But he didn't finish. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked away. In +one glance he had read Miriam's secret. Now he understood that look of +wild appeal, baffled rage, mortification and disappointment, all jumbled +together in her turbulent soul. + +"Did she really want it so badly as all that?" he thought, "or was it only +her insatiable desire never to be beaten?" + +In the meantime, Grace, surrounded by a circle of her school-fellows, was +telling them the history of her imprisonment. Miss Thompson and Mrs. +Harlowe had made their way across the floor to the crowd of sophomores; +Mrs. Harlowe to find out whether her daughter's cheek had been seriously +cut, which it had not, and the principal to ask a few questions. + +"Did it look like a trick, Grace?" she asked when she had heard the story. + +"I hardly know, Miss Thompson. I feel certain that I left the door open +when I went in. The janitress may have locked it without seeing me." + +"Perhaps," answered Miss Thompson thoughtfully, "but the rule of locking +the larger classrooms after school hours has never been followed that I +know of. There is really no reason for it, and it might cause some delay +in the morning, in case Mrs. Gunby were not around to unlock the doors." + +"You will have to send a bill to father for all the broken glass," laughed +Grace. "I shouldn't have been here at this moment if I hadn't done some +smashing." + +Miss Thompson smiled. + +"You were perfectly right to do it, my dear. It was an exhibition of good +judgment and great courage. As for the bill, certainly the victim of an +employe's stupidity should not be held accountable for costs. But we won't +disturb you now with any more questions. You deserve to win the game and I +hope with all my heart you will." + +There was still a little time left and Grace determined to improve those +shining moments by having a talk with Miriam. + +Miriam never looked up when Grace approached her. Her dark brows were knit +in an ugly frown and her eyes were on the floor. + +"Miriam, aren't you glad I got out of prison in time?" asked Grace +cordially. + +"I suppose so," answered Miriam, looking anywhere but at Grace. + +"Is there anything the matter with you to-day?" continued Grace. + +"No," answered Miriam shortly. + +"Your playing is not up to mark. The girls are very uneasy. Won't you try +to do a little better next half?" + +There was a childlike appeal in Grace's voice that grated so on Miriam's +nerves, at that moment that she deliberately turned and walked away, +leaving Grace standing alone. + +"Wait a minute, Miriam," called Nora, who, with some of the other +sophomores, had been watching the scene. "You aren't ill to-day, are you?" + +"No," replied Miriam angrily. + +"Because, if you are really ill, you know," continued Nora, "your sub. +could take your place. Anna Ray can play a great deal better game than you +played the first half." + +Miriam turned on Nora furiously, and was about to make one of her most +violent replies, when the whistle blew and the girls flew to their places. + +Julia Crosby and Grace smiled at each other in the most friendly fashion +as they stood face to face for the last time that season. There was +nothing but good-natured rivalry between them now. + +The referee balanced the ball for an instant, her whistle to her lips. +Then the ball shot up, her whistle sounded and the great decisive last +half had begun. + +Grace managed to bat the ball as it descended in the direction of one of +her eager forwards who tried for the basket and just missed it. The +juniors made a desperate attempt to get the ball into their territory, but +the sophomores were too quick for them, and Nora made a brilliant throw to +goal that caused the sophomore fans to cheer with wild enthusiasm. + +It was a game long to be remembered. Both teams fought with a +determination and spirit that caused their fans in the gallery to shout +themselves hoarse. The juniors made some plays little short of marvellous, +and five minutes before the last half was over the score stood 8 to 6 in +favor of the sophomores. + +"This game will end in a tie if they're not careful," exclaimed Hippy. +"No, Nora has the ball! She'll score if anyone can! Put her home, Nora!" +he yelled excitedly. + +Nora was about to make one of the lightning goal throws for which she was +noted, when like a flash Miriam Nesbit seized the ball from her, and +attempted to make the play herself. But her aim was inaccurate. The ball +flew wide of the basket and was seized by a junior guard. The tie seemed +inevitable. + +A groan went up from the gallery. Then a distinct hiss was heard, and a +second later the entire sophomore class hissed Miriam Nesbit. + +Miss Thompson rose, thinking to call the house to order, but sat down +again, shaking her head. + +"They know what they are about," she said, for Grace herself did not know +the game any better than the principal. "It was inexcusable of Miriam, +inexcusable and intentional. In attempting to gratify her own vanity she +has prevented her side from scoring at a time when all personal desire +should be put aside. She really deserves it." + +But the score was not tied after all, for the junior guard fumbled the +ball, dropped it and before she could regain possession of it, it was +speeding toward Marian Barber, thrown with unerring accuracy by Grace. Up +went Marian's hands. She grasped it, then hurled it with all her might, +straight into the basket. Five seconds later the whistle blew, with the +score 10 to 6. + +The sophomores had won. + +The enthusiastic fans of both classes rushed out of the gallery and down +the stairs to the gymnasium. Two tall sophomores seized Grace and making a +chair of their hands, carried her around the gymnasium, followed by the +rest of the class, sounding their class yell at the tops of their voices. + +The story of Grace's imprisonment and escape out of the third story window +went from mouth to mouth, and her friends eagerly crowded the floor in an +effort to speak to her. There were High School yells and class yells until +Miss Thompson was obliged to cover her ears to deaden the noise. + +Miss Thompson made her way through the crowd to where Grace was standing +in the midst of her admiring schoolmates. The principal took the young +captain in her arms, embracing her tenderly. + +Surely no one had ever seen Miss Thompson display so much unrestrained and +candid emotion before. There were tears in her eyes, her voice trembled +when she spoke. + +"It was a great victory, Grace, I congratulate you and your class. You +have fought a fine, courageous battle against great odds. Many another +girl who had climbed out of a third-story window, without even a rope to +hold by, would have little strength left to play basketball much less to +win the championship. I am very proud of you to-day, my dear," and she +kissed Grace right on the deep, red scratch that marred her cheek. + +"She is a girl after my own heart," Miss Thompson was thinking, as she +hurried to her office. "Grace has faults, of course, but on the other +hand, she is as honest as the day, modest about her ability, unselfish and +with boundless courage. Certainly she is a splendid influence in a +school, and I wish I had more pupils like her." + +It was with difficulty that Grace extricated herself from her admiring +friends and, accompanied by her chums, made for the locker room to don +street attire. + +Now that it was all over the reaction had set in, and she began to feel a +little tired, although she was almost too happy for words. She walked +along, dimly alive to what the girls were saying. + +Nora was still upset over Miriam Nesbit's lawless attempt to score, and +sputtered angrily all the way down the corridor. "I should think Miriam +Nesbit would be ashamed to show her face in school, again, after this +afternoon's performance," Nora declared. + +"Did you see what David did?" queried Jessica. + +"Yes, I did," said Anne. + +"What was it?" asked Grace, coming out of her day dream. + +"The minute the girls began to hiss Miriam, he got up and walked out of +the gymnasium," Jessica replied. "I believe he was so deeply ashamed of +what she did that he couldn't bear to stay." + +"Well, he found Grace, and rescued her in time for the game," said Anne. +"That must be some consolation to him. I don't see how you got locked in, +Grace. Are you sure you didn't close the door after you. It has a spring +lock, you know." + +"I thought I left it open," mused Grace, "but I might have unconsciously +pulled it to." + +"It is very strange," replied Anne, in whose mind a vague suspicion had +taken root. Then she made a mental resolve to do a little private +investigating on her own account. + +When Grace reached home that night she found two boxes awaiting her. + +"Oh, what can they be?" she cried in great excitement, for it was not +every day that she found two imposing packages on the hall table, at the +same time, addressed to her. + +"Open them and see, little daughter," replied Grace's father, pinching her +unscratched cheek. + +The one was a large box of candy from her classmates, the contents of +which they helped to devour the next day. + +The other box held a bunch of violets and lilies of the valley. In this +were two cards, "Mrs. Robert Nesbit" and "Mr. David Nesbit." + +"Poor old David!" thought Grace, as she buried her nose in the violets. +"He is trying to atone for Miriam's sins." + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A PIECE OF NEWS + + +After the excitement of the famous game came a great calm. The various +teachers privately congratulated themselves on the marked improvement in +lessons, and were secretly relieved with the thought that basketball was +laid on the shelf for the rest of the school year. + +Miriam Nesbit left Oakdale for a visit the Monday after the game, and did +not return for two weeks. The general opinion seemed to be that she was +ashamed of herself; but the expression on her face when she did return was +not indicative of either shame or humility. She was more aggressive than +before, and looked as though she considered the whole school far beneath +her. She refused to even nod to Grace, Nora, Anne or Jessica, while Julia +Crosby remarked with a cheerful grin that she guessed Miriam had forgotten +that they had ever been introduced. + +During the Easter holidays, Tom Gray came down and his aunt gave a dinner +to her "adopted children" in honor of her nephew. Nora gave a fancy dress +party to about twenty of her friends, while Grace invited the seven young +people to a straw ride and a moonlight picnic in Upton Wood. + +The days sped swiftly by, and spring came with her wealth of bud and +bloom. During the long, balmy days Grace inwardly chafed at schoolbooks +and lessons. She wanted to be out of doors. As she sat trying to write a +theme for her advanced English class, one sunny afternoon during the +latter part of April, she glanced frequently out the window toward the +golf links that lay just beyond the High School campus. How she wished it +were Saturday instead of only Wednesday. That very day she had arranged to +play a game of golf with one of the senior class girls, who had made a +record the previous year on the links. Grace felt rather flattered at the +notice of the older girl, who was considered particularly exclusive, and +rarely if ever paid any attention to the lower class girls. She had +accidentally learned that Grace was an enthusiastic golfer, and therefore +lost no time in asking her to play. + +"I was awfully surprised when she asked me to play," confided Grace to her +chums on the way home from school that afternoon. + +"Oh, that's nothing," said Jessica. "She ought to feel honored to think +you consented. You are really an Oakdale celebrity, you know." + +"Please remember when you are basking in the light of her senior +countenance that you once had friends among the sophomores," said Nora in +a mournful tone. + +"I consider both those remarks verging on idiotic," laughed Grace. "Don't +you, Anne?" + +"Certainly," replied Anne. "But let me add a word of caution. Don't allow +this mark of senior caprice to turn your head. Remember you are----" + +"You're worse than the others," cried Grace, "Let's change the subject." + +Saturday proved a beautiful day, and with a light heart Grace started for +the links with her golf bag strapped across her shoulder. The senior whose +name was Ethel Post, sat waiting for her on one of the rustic benches set +under a tree at one side of the starting place. She greeted Grace +cordially and the two girls set to work without delay to demonstrate their +prowess as golfers. The caddies, two small boys of Oakdale, who could be +hired at the links by anyone desiring their services, carried the girls' +clubs and hunted lost balls with alacrity. + +Miss Post found that Grace was a foeman worthy of her steel. The young +girl's arm was steady, and she delivered her strokes with decision. Grace +came out two holes ahead. + +Miss Post was delighted. "I hope you will golf with me often, Miss +Harlowe," she said cordially. "It is so seldom one finds a really good +player." + +"I am fond of all games and outdoor sports," replied Grace, "but I like +basketball best of all. Did you attend any of our games during the winter, +Miss Post?" + +"No," answered the senior. "I am not much interested in basketball. I +really paid no attention to it this year, and haven't attended a game +since I was a freshman. Speaking of basketball," continued Miss Post, "I +picked up a paper last fall with a whole lot of basketball plays written +on it. It was labeled 'Sophomore basketball signals,' and I turned it over +to one of the girls in your class. She happened to be on the team, too, +and seemed very glad to get it. I presume it was hers, although she didn't +say so." + +At the mention of the word signals, Grace pricked up her ears. As Miss +Post innocently told of finding the list, Grace could hardly control +herself. She wanted to get up and dance a jig on the green. She was about +to learn the truth at last. + +Trying to keep the excitement she felt out of her voice, Grace asked in a +low tone, "Whom did you return it to, Miss Post?" + +"Why, Miss Nesbit," was the answer. "I was inside the campus when I found +it, and just then she passed me on the walk. I knew she was a sophomore, +and thought it best to get rid of it, as I would probably have forgotten +all about it, and it never would have been returned." + +"Quite true," Grace replied, but she thought to herself that a great deal +of unhappiness might have been avoided if Miss Post had only forgotten. + +The talk drifted into other channels. Miss Post told Grace that she +expected to sail for Europe as soon as school was over. In the fall she +would return and enter Wellesley. She had crossed the ocean once before, +and had done the continent. This time she intended to spend all of her +time in Germany. Grace decided her new acquaintance to be a remarkably +bright girl. At any other time she would have listened to her with +absorbed interest, but try as she might, Grace could not focus her +attention on what was being said. One thought was uppermost in her mind, +that Miriam was the real culprit. + +What was to be done about it? She would gain nothing by exposing Miriam to +her classmates. There had been too much unpleasantness already. If there +was only some way that Miriam could be brought to see the folly of her +present course. Grace decided to tell Anne the news that night and ask her +advice. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +ANNE AND GRACE COMPARE NOTES + + +During the walk home from the links, Grace kept continually thinking, "I +knew it was Miriam. She gave them to Julia." She replied rather +absent-mindedly to Miss Post's comments, and left the older girl with the +impression that Miss Harlowe was not as interesting as she had at first +seemed. + +Grace escaped from the supper table at the earliest opportunity, and +seizing her hat, made for Anne's house as fast as her feet would take her. +Anne opened the door for her. + +"Oh, Anne, Anne! You never can guess what I know!" cried Grace, before she +was fairly inside the house. + +"Of course, I can't," replied Anne, "any more than you can guess what I +know." + +"Why, do you know something special, too?" demanded Grace. + +"I do, indeed. But tell me your news first, and then I'll tell you mine," +said Anne, pushing Grace into a chair. + +"Mine's about Miriam," said Grace soberly. + +"So is mine," was the reply, "and it's nothing creditable, either." + +"Well," began Grace, "you know I went over to the golf links to-day with +Ethel Post of the senior class." + +Anne nodded. + +"We were sitting on a bench resting after the game, and the subject of +basketball came up. Before I knew it, she was telling me all about finding +the list of signals you lost last fall. She gave them to one of our class, +you can guess who." + +"Miriam," said Anne. + +"Yes, it was Miriam. I always suspected that she had more to do with it +than anyone else. She gave Julia the signals, because she wanted to see me +humiliated, and fastened suspicion on you to shield herself. She knew that +I had boasted, openly, that my team would win. When Julia gave me the +statement that cleared you in the eyes of the girls, she told me that she +was under promise not to tell how she obtained the signals. But I'm sure +she knew that I suspected Miriam. What do you think we ought to do about +it?" + +Grace looked anxiously at Anne. + +"I don't know, yet," Anne replied. "Now listen to my news. I have felt +ever since the game that your getting locked up was not accidental. I +don't know why I felt so, but I did, nevertheless. So I set to work to +find out if any one else had been around there that day. I went to the +janitress and asked her if she had noticed any one in the corridors before +halfpast one. That was about the time that people began to come, you know. +She said she hadn't. She was down in the basement and didn't go near the +upstairs classrooms until after two o'clock. But when she did go up there +she found this." + +Anne held up a curious scarab pin that Grace immediately recognized. It +was one that Miriam Nesbit often wore, and was extremely fond of. + +"It's Miriam's," gasped Grace. "I wonder why----" She stopped. The reason +Miriam had not made her loss known was plain. She was afraid to tell where +and when she had lost her pin. + +"I see," said Grace slowly. "It looks pretty bad, doesn't it? But why +didn't the janitress take it straight to Miss Thompson? That's what she +usually does with articles she finds." + +"She missed seeing Miss Thompson that Saturday," said Anne. "When I hunted +her up early Monday morning, in order to question her, she asked me if I +had lost a pin. She said she had just returned one to Miss Thompson, and +told me where she found it. I asked her to describe the pin, and at once +recognized it. Every girl in school knows that scarab of Miriam's. There +is nothing like it in Oakdale. + +"For a minute I didn't know what to do. Don't you remember when Miriam +first had it? She showed it to Miss Thompson, and Miss Thompson spoke of +how curious it was. I knew that Miss Thompson would not be apt to forget +it. I hurried up to her office and found her with the pin in her hand. She +had sent for Miriam, but the messenger came back with the report that +Miriam wasn't in school. She laid the pin down and said, 'What is it, +Anne?' So I just asked her if she would let me have the pin. Of course, +she looked surprised, and asked me if I knew to whom it belonged. I told +her I did. Then she looked at me very hard, and asked me to tell her +exactly why I wanted it. But, of course, I couldn't tell her, so I didn't +say anything. Then she said: 'Anne, I know without being told why you want +this pin. I am going to give it to you, and let you settle a delicate +matter in your own way. I am sure it will be the right one.'" + +"Anne Pierson, you bad child!" exclaimed Grace. "To think that you've kept +this to yourself ever since the game. Why didn't you tell me?" + +"I wanted to think what to do about it, before telling even you," Anne +replied. "Yesterday I had a long talk with David. He knows everything +that Miriam has done since the beginning of the freshman year. He feels +dreadfully about it all. I think you and I ought to go to her and tell her +that we are willing to forget the past and be her friends." + +"It would do no good," said Grace dubiously. "She would simply laugh at +us. I used to have dreams about making Miriam see the evil of her ways, +but I have come to the conclusion that they were dreams, and nothing +more." + +"Let's try, anyway," said Anne. "David says she seems sad and unhappy, and +is more gentle than she has been for a long time." + +"All right, we'll beard the lion in her den, the Nesbit on her soil, if +you say so. But I expect to be routed with great slaughter," said Grace +with a shudder. "When do we go forth on our mission of reform?" + +"We'll call on her to-morrow after school," Anne replied, "and don't +forget that you once made the remark that you thought Miriam had a better +self. You told me the day you read Julia Crosby's statement to the girls +that you wouldn't give her up." + +"I suppose that I shall have to confess that I did say so," laughed Grace. +"But that was before she locked me up. She is so proud and stubborn that +she will probably take the olive branch we hold out and trample upon it. +After all, it really isn't our place to hold out olive branches anyway. +She is the one who ought to eat humble pie. I feel ashamed to think I have +to tell her what I know about her." + +"So do I," responded Anne. "It's horrid to have to go to people and tell +them about their misdeeds. I wouldn't propose going now if it weren't for +David. He seems to think that she would be willing to behave if some one +showed her how." + +"All right," said Grace, "we'll go, but if we encounter a human tornado +don't say I didn't warn you." + +"That's one reason I want to go to her house," replied Anne. "If we +approach her at school she is liable to turn on us and make a scene, or +else walk off with her nose in the air. If we can catch her at home +perhaps she will be more amenable to reason. But, if, to-morrow, she +refuses to melt and be forgiven, then I wash my hands of her forever." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A RESCUE AND A REFORM + + +It was with considerable trepidation that Anne and Grace approached the +Nesbit gate the following afternoon. + +"I feel my knees beginning to wobble," Grace observed, as they rang the +bell. "This business of being a reformer has its drawbacks. How had we +better begin?" + +"I don't know, the inspiration to say the right thing will probably come, +when we see her," said Anne. + +"If she behaves in her usual manner, I shall have a strong inspiration, to +give her a good shaking," said Grace bluntly. + +To their relief, the maid who answered the bell informed them that Miriam +had gone out for a walk. + +"Do you know which way she went?" Grace asked. + +"I think, miss, that she went toward Upton Wood. She often walks there," +replied the maid. + +The girls thanked her and started down the walk. + +"Miriam ought never to walk, alone, in Upton Wood, especially this time +of year," remarked Grace. "There are any amount of tramps lurking around. +If David knew it he would be awfully provoked." + +"Let's walk over that way, and perhaps we'll meet her," suggested Anne. +"Now that we've started, I hate to turn back. If we don't see her to-day, +we'll keep on putting it off and end up by not seeing her at all." + +"That's true," Grace agreed. + +The two girls strolled along in the direction of Upton Wood, thoroughly +enjoying their walk. Occasionally, they stopped to gather a few wild +flowers, or listen to the joyous trill of a bird. They were at the edge of +the wood, when Grace suddenly put up her hand. + +"Hush!" she said. "I hear voices." + +Just then the cry Help! Help! rang out. + +"That's Miriam's voice," cried Grace. + +Glancing quickly about for a weapon, Grace picked up a good-sized stick +she found on the ground, and ran in the direction of the sound, Anne at +her heels. + +Miriam was struggling desperately to free herself from the grasp of a +rough, unkempt fellow who had her by the arm and was trying to abstract +the little gold watch that she wore fastened to her shirtwaist with a +chatelaine pin. + +The tramp stood with his back to the approaching girls. Before he was +aware of their presence, Grace brought her stick down on his head with all +the force she had in her strong, young arms. + +With a howl of pain he released Miriam, whirling on his assailant. Grace +hit him again, the force of her second blow knocking him over. + +Before the man could regain his feet the three girls were off through the +wood. They ran without looking back until fairly out in the open field. + +"I don't see him," panted Grace, halting to get her breath. "I guess he's +gone." + +Anne was pale and trembling. The run out of the woods had been almost too +much for her. As for Miriam, she was sobbing quite hysterically. + +"Don't cry, Miriam," soothed Grace, putting her arm around the frightened +girl. "He can't hurt you now. I am so glad that we happened along. You +ought never to go into Upton Wood alone, you know." + +Miriam gradually gained control of herself. Wiping her eyes, she asked, +"How did you ever happen to be out here just at the time I needed help?" + +"To tell the truth, we were hunting for you," Grace replied. "Your maid +said that you had gone toward Upton Wood. We walked on, expecting every +minute to meet you. Then we heard you scream and that's all." + +"It's not all," said Miriam quickly. "I know I have been a wretch. I have +made things unpleasant for you two girls ever since we started in at High +School. I made fun of Anne, and tried to make her lose the freshman prize. +I sent her that doll a year ago last Christmas, knowing that it would hurt +her feelings. But the things I did last year aren't half as bad as all +I've done this year, I gave----" + +"That's just what we came to see you about, Miriam," interrupted Grace. +"We know that you gave the signals to Julia, and we know that you locked +me in the classroom the day of the big game." + +Miriam flushed with shame and her lip quivered. + +Seeing her distress, Grace went on quickly: + +"The janitress found your scarab pin just outside the door on the day of +the game. Anne has it here for you." + +Anne fumbled in her purse and drew out the pin. + +"But how did you get it?" asked Miriam faintly, as she took the pin with +evident reluctance. + +"Miss Thompson gave it to me," Anne answered. + +Miriam looked frightened. "Then she knows----" + +"Nothing," said Grace softly. "As soon as Anne heard that Miss Thompson +had your pin and knew where it had been found, she went right to the +office and asked Miss Thompson to give it to her. Miss Thompson thought +from the first that I had been the victim of a trick. Anne knew that the +finding of your pin would make her suspect you. She had already sent for +you when Anne reached the office. Luckily you weren't in school. Anne +asked permission to return the pin to you. She wouldn't give any reason +for asking. Finally Miss Thompson handed it to her, and told Anne she was +sure she would do what was right." + +"You owe a great deal to Anne, Miriam," Grace continued, "for if she had +not gone to Miss Thompson I am afraid you would have been suspended from +school. Miss Thompson would have had very little mercy upon you, for she +knew about those examination papers last June." + +Miriam looked so utterly miserable and ashamed at Grace's words, that Anne +hastened to say: + +"I would have given you your pin at once, Miriam, but you were away from +school. Then David told me how unhappy you seemed. I hadn't said a word +to any one about the pin until I told Grace. We decided to come and see +you, and say that we were willing to 'let bygones be bygones' if you were. +We thought it was right to let you know that we knew everything. There is +only one other person who knows. That person is your brother." + +"He knew I locked you up the day of the game," faltered Miriam, "The way +he looked at me has haunted me ever since. He thinks me the most +dishonorable girl in the world." She began to cry again. + +Anne and Grace walked along silently beside the weeping girl. They thought +it better to let her have her cry out. She really deserved to spend a +brief season in the Valley of Humiliation. + +They had now left the fields and were turning into one of the smaller +streets of Oakdale. + +"Miriam," said Grace, "try and brace up. We'll soon be on Main Street and +you don't want people to see you cry, do you? Here," extracting a little +book of rice powder paper from her bag, "rub this over your face and the +marks of your tears won't show." + +Miriam took the paper gratefully, and did as Grace bade her. Then she +straightened up and gave a long sigh, "I feel like that man in Pilgrim's +Progress, after he dropped his burden from his back," she said. "The mean +things I did never bothered me until just lately. After I saw that my own +brother had nothing but contempt for me, I began to realize what a wretch +I was, and the remorse has been just awful." + +It was David, after all, who had been instrumental in holding up the +mirror so that his stubborn sister could see herself as others saw her. +Although she had quarreled frequently with him, she had secretly respected +his high standard of honor and fine principles. The fear that he despised +her utterly had brought her face to face with herself at last. + +"Anne has always wanted to be friends with you, Miriam," Grace said +earnestly as they neared the Nesbit home. "You and I used to play together +when we were little girls in the grammar school. It's only since we +started High School that this quarreling has begun. Let's put it all aside +and swear to be friends, tried and true, from now on? You can be a great +power for good if you choose. We all ought to try to set up a high +standard, for the sake of those who come after. Then Oakdale will have +good reason to be proud of her High School girls." + +They had reached the gate. + +Miriam turned and stretched out a hand to each girl. There was a new +light in her eyes. "My dear, dear friends," she said softly. + +A shrill whistle broke in upon this little love feast and the three girls +looked up. David was hurrying down the walk, his face aglow. + +"I whistled to attract your attention. I was afraid you girls would go +before I could reach you. Mother wants you girls to come in for dinner. +She saw you from the window. Don't say you can't, for I'm going to call on +the Piersons and Harlowes right now and inform them that their daughters +are dining out to-night. So hurry along now, for mother's waiting for +you." + +A minute later he had mounted his motorcycle and was off down the street, +going like the wind. + +The girls entered the house and were warmly greeted by Mrs. Nesbit. She +and David had viewed the little scene from the window. She had deeply +deplored Miriam's attitude toward Grace and her chums. It was with delight +that she and David had watched the three girls stop at the gate and clasp +hands. She therefore hurried her son out to the girls to offer them her +hospitality. + +Anne had never before entered the Nesbit home. She thought it very +beautiful and luxurious. Miriam put forth every effort to be agreeable, +and the time passed so rapidly that they were surprised when dinner was +announced. + +After dinner, Miriam, who was really a brilliant performer for a girl of +her age, played for them. Anne, who was a music-hungry little soul, +listened like one entranced. David, seeing her absorption, beckoned to +Grace, who stole softly out of the room without being observed. + +Once out in the hall the two young people did a sort of wild dance to +express their feelings. + +"You are the best girl a fellow ever knew," said David in a whisper. "How +did you do it?" + +"I'll tell you some other time," whispered Grace, who had cautioned the +girls to say nothing of the adventure for fear of frightening Miriam's +mother. "Let's go back before they notice we're gone." + +"Anne is too wrapped up in music to pay any attention to us. Come on up to +my workshop. I want to show you something I'm working at in connection +with my aeroplane. We can talk there, without being disturbed. I want to +know what worked this transformation. It is really too good to be true. +I've always wanted Miriam to be friends with Anne, but I had just about +lost all hope." + +Grace followed David up the stairs and through the hall to his workshop, +which was situated at the back of the house. + +"Now," said the young man, as he pushed forward a stool for his guest, +"fire away." + +Grace began with their call at the house, their walk in search of Miriam, +and their adventure with the tramp, modestly making light of her own +bravery. When she had finished, David held out his hand, his face glowing +with appreciation "Grace," he said, "you've more spirit and courage than +any girl I ever knew. You ought to have been a boy. You would have done +great things." + +Grace felt that this was the highest compliment David could pay her. She +had always cherished a secret regret that she had been born a girl. + +"Thank you, David," she said, blushing, then hastily changed the subject. +"Tell me about your aeroplane. Is it still at the old Omnibus House?" + +"Yes," David answered. "I had it here all winter, but I moved it out there +again about a month ago." + +"I should like to see it again," said Grace. "I didn't have time to look +at it carefully the day you invited us out there." + +"I'll take you over any time you want to go," said David. "Oh, better +still, here's a duplicate key to the place. You can take the girls and go +over there whenever you please, without waiting for me. You are the only +person that I'd trust with this key, Grace," he added gravely. "I had it +made in case old Jean or I should lose those we carry. I wouldn't even let +the fellows have one, for fear they might go over there, get careless and +do some damage." + +"It's awfully good of you, David," Grace replied as she took the key. +"I'll be careful not to lose it. I'll put it on my watch chain. It's such +a small key it is not likely it will be noticed." + +Grace took from her neck the long, silver chain from which her watch was +suspended. She opened the clasp, slid the key on the chain and tucked both +watch and key snugly into her belt. + +"There," she said, patting it, "that can't get lost. My chain is very +strong. I prefer a chain to a pin or fob, because either one is so easy to +lose." + +"That's sensible," commented David. "Girls wouldn't be eternally losing +their watches if they weren't so vain about wearing those silly little +chatelaine pins." + +"Why, David Nesbit!" exclaimed Grace, glancing up at the mission clock on +the wall. "It's almost nine o'clock! I had no idea it was so late. Let's +go down at once." + +They returned to the parlor to find Anne and Miriam deep in some foreign +photographs that Miriam had collected during her trip to Europe the +previous summer. + +"How I should love to see Europe," sighed Anne. "I'm going there some day, +though, if I live," she added with a sudden resolution. + +"Mother and father have promised me a trip across as a graduation gift. +Maybe you'll be able to go, too, by that time, Anne," said Grace +hopefully. + +"Perhaps I shall, but I'm afraid it's doubtful," said Anne, smiling a +little. + +"We've had a fine time, Miriam," said Grace, "but we really must go. +Mother will worry if I stay any later." + +"Please come again soon," said Miriam, kissing both girls affectionately. +"I have a plan to talk over with you, but I can't say anything about it +now. I must consult mother first. You'll like it, I'm sure." + +"Of course we shall," responded Grace. "Good night, Miriam, and pleasant +dreams." + +"They are the nicest girls in Oakdale, and I shall try hard to be like +them," thought Miriam, as she closed the door. "David is right. It +certainly pays to be square." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +GRACE MEETS A DISTINGUISHED CHARACTER + + +June had come, bringing with it the trials and tribulations of final +examinations. The days grew long and sunny. Roses nodded from every bush, +but the pupils of Oakdale's two High Schools were far too busy to think +about the beauty of the weather. Golf, tennis, baseball and other outdoor +sports were sternly put aside, and the usual season of "cramming" set in. +Young faces wore an almost tragic expression, and back lessons were +reviewed with desperate zeal. + +Grace Harlowe had crammed as assiduously as the rest, for a day or two. +She was particularly shaky on her geometry. She went over her theorems +until she came to triangles, then she threw the book down in disgust. +"What's the use of cramming?" she said to herself. "If I keep on I won't +even be able to remember that 'the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle +is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.' I'm in a +muddle over these triangles now. I'll find the girls and get them to go to +the woods with me. I really ought to collect a few more botany +specimens." + +Grace's specimens were a source of keen delight to her girlish heart. She +didn't care so much about pressing and mounting them. It was the joy she +experienced in being in the woods that, to her, made botany the most +fascinating of studies. She poked into secluded spots unearthing rare +specimens. Her collection was already overflowing; still she could never +resist adding just a few more. + +She was doomed to disappointment as far as Nora and Jessica were +concerned. Both girls mournfully shook their heads when invited to +specimen-hunting, declaring regretfully they were obliged to study. Anne +was at Mrs. Gray's attending to the old lady's correspondence. This had +been her regular task since the beginning of the freshman year, and she +never failed to perform it. + +"Oh, dear, I wish examinations and school were over," Grace sighed +impatiently. "I can't go to the woods alone, and I can't get any one to go +with me. I suppose I'll have to give it up and go home. No, I won't, +either. I'll go as far as the old Omnibus House. There are lots of wild +plants in the orchard surrounding it, and I may get some new specimens." + +With her basket on her arm, Grace turned her steps in the direction of the +old house. She had not been there since the day of their reunion. She +smiled to herself as she recalled the absurdities of that occasion. + +After traversing the orchard several times and finding nothing startling +in the way of specimens, Grace concluded that she might as well have +stayed at home. + +She walked slowly over to the steps and sat down, placing the basket +beside her. "How lonely it seems here to-day," she thought. "I wonder +where old Jean is? I haven't seen him for an age." Then she fell to musing +over the school year so nearly ended. Everything that had happened passed +through her mind like a panorama. It had been a stormy year, full of +quarrels and bickerings, but it was about to end gloriously. Anne and +Miriam had become the best of friends, while she and Julia Crosby were +daily finding out each other's good qualities There was nothing left to be +desired. + +Grace started from her dream and looked at her watch. It was after six +o'clock. She had better be getting back. + +She rose and reached for her basket. + +Suddenly a figure loomed up before her. Grace started in surprise, to find +herself facing a tall, thin man with wild, dark eyes. He stood with folded +arms, regarding her fixedly. + +[Illustration: Grace Found Herself Facing a Tall, Thin Man.] + +"Why, where----" but she got no further, for the curious new-comer +interrupted her. + +"Ah, Josephine," he said, "so I have found you at last." + +"My name isn't Josephine at all. It's Grace Harlowe, and you have made a +mistake," said Grace, endeavoring to pass him. But he barred her way, +saying sadly: + +"What, do you, too, pretend? Do you think I do not know you? I, your royal +husband, Napoleon Bonaparte." + +"Good gracious," gasped Grace. "He's crazy as can be. How ever shall I get +away from him?" + +The man heard the word "crazy" and exclaimed angrily: "How dare you call +me crazy! You, of all people, should know I am sane. I have just returned +from Isle of St. Helena to claim my empire. For years I have been an +exile, but now I am free, free." He waved his arms wildly. + +"Yes, of course I know you, now," said Grace, thinking to mollify him. +"How strange that I didn't recognize you before." + +Then she remembered reading in the paper of the preceding night of the +escape of a dangerous lunatic from the state asylum, that was situated a +few miles from Oakdale. This must be the man. Grace decided that he +answered the description the paper had given. She realized that she would +have to be careful not to anger him. It would require strategy to get +clear of him. + +"It's time you remembered me," returned Napoleon Bonaparte, petulantly. +"They told me that you had died years ago, but I knew better. Now that I +have found you, we'd better start for France at once. Have you your court +robes with you? And what have you done with your crown? You are dressed +like a peasant." He was disdainfully eyeing her brown, linen gown. + +In spite of her danger, Grace could scarcely repress a laugh. It all +seemed so ludicrous. Then a sudden thought seized her. + +"You see, I have nothing fit to travel in," she said. "Suppose you wait +here for me while I go back to town and get my things? then I can appear +properly at court." + +"No you don't," said Napoleon promptly, a cunning expression stealing into +his face. "If you go you'll never come back. I need your influence at the +royal court, and I can't afford to lose you. I am about to conquer the +world. I should have done it long ago, if those villains hadn't exiled me, +and locked me up." + +He walked back and forth, muttering to himself still keeping his eye on +Grace for fear that she might escape. + +"Oh, what shall I do?" thought the terrified girl. "Goodness knows what +he'll think of next. He may keep me here until dark, and I shall die if I +have to stay here until then, I must get away." + +Grace knew that it would be sheer folly to try to run. Her captor would +overtake her before she had gone six yards, not to mention the fit of rage +her attempted flight would be likely to throw him into. + +She anxiously scanned the neighboring fields in the hope of seeing old +Jean, the hunter. He was usually not far away. But look as she might, she +could discover no sign of him. There was only one thing in her favor. It +would be light for some time yet. Being June, the darkness would not +descend for two hours. She must escape, but how was she to do it! + +She racked her brain for some means of deliverance, but received no +inspiration. Again she drew out her watch. Then her eye rested for a +second on the little key that hung on her watch chain. It was the key to +the lean-to in which David kept his aeroplane. Like a flash the way was +revealed to her. But would she be able to carry out the daring design that +had sprung into her mind? She would try, at any rate. With an unconcern +that she was far from feeling, Grace walked carelessly toward the door of +the lean-to. + +The demented man was beside her in a twinkling He clutched Grace by the +arm with a force that made her catch her breath. + +"What are you trying to do!" he exclaimed, glaring at her savagely. +"Didn't I tell you that you couldn't go away!" + +He held her at arm's length with one hand, and threateningly shook his +finger at her. + +"Remember, once and for all, that I am your emperor and must be obeyed. +Disregard my commands and you shall pay the penalty with your life. What +is the life of one like you to me, when I hold the fate of nations in my +hands? Perhaps it would be better to put an end to you now. Women are ever +given over to intriguing and deception. You might betray me to my enemies. +Yet, I believed you loyal in the past. I----" + +"Indeed I have always been loyal, my emperor," interrupted Grace eagerly. +"How can you doubt me?" + +Her situation was becoming more precarious with every minute. She must +persuade this terrible individual that she was necessary to his plans, if +she wished to get away with her life. + +"I have your welfare constantly at heart," she continued. "Have you ever +thought of flying to our beloved France? In the shed behind me is a +strange ship that flies through the air. Its sails are like the wings of +a bird, and it flies with the speed of the wind. It waits to carry us +across the sea. It is called an aeroplane." + +"I have heard of such things," said Napoleon. "When I was in exile, a fool +who came to visit me showed me a picture of one. He told me it could fly +like a bird, but he lied. I believe you are lying, too," he added, looking +at her suspiciously. + +"Let me prove to you that I am not," Grace answered, trying to appear +calm, though ready to collapse under the terrible strain of the part she +was being forced to play. "Do you see this key? It unlocks the door that +leads to the flying ship. Would you not like to look at it?" she said +coaxingly. + +"Very well, but be quick about it I have already wasted too much time with +you. I must be off before my enemies find me." + +"You must release my arm, or I cannot unlock the door," Grace said. + +"Oh, yes, you can," rejoined Napoleon, not relaxing his grip for an +instant. "Do you think I am going to run any risk of losing you?" + +As she turned the key he swung her to one side, and, opening the door, +peered cautiously in. For a moment he stood like a statue staring in +wonder at David's aeroplane, then with a loud cry that froze the blood in +Grace's veins, he threw up his arms and rushed madly into the shed, +shouting, "We shall fly, fly, fly!" + +With a sob of terror Grace slammed the door and turned the key. She was +not an instant too soon. Napoleon Bonaparte reached it with a bound and +threw himself against it, uttering blood-curdling shrieks. The frightful +sounds came to Grace's ears as she tore across the field in the direction +of Oakdale. Terror lent wings to her feet. Every second was precious. She +did not know how long the door would stand against the frantic assaults of +the maniac. + +She had reached the road, when, to her joy and relief, she beheld half a +dozen men approaching. Stumbling blindly toward them, she panted out: "The +crazy man--I--locked--him--in--the Omnibus House. Here--is--the key." She +gave a long, shuddering sigh, and for the first time in her life sturdy +Grace Harlowe fainted. + +The men picked her up tenderly. + +"Here, Hampton," said one of them, "take this child over to the nearest +house. She is all in. By George, I wonder whether she has locked that +lunatic up? Something has certainly upset her. We'd better get over there +right away and see what we can find out." + +The man addressed as Hampton picked Grace up as though she had been a +baby and carried her to a house a little further up the road. + +Meanwhile the men hurried on, arriving at the Omnibus House just as +Napoleon succeeded in breaking down the door. Before he could elude them, +he was seized by five pairs of stalwart arms. He fought like a tiger, +making it difficult to bind him. This was finally accomplished though they +were obliged to carry him, for he had to be tied up like a papoose to keep +him from doing damage. He raved continually over the duplicity of +Josephine, threatening dire vengeance when he should find her. + +When Grace came to herself she looked about her in wonder. She was lying +on a comfortable couch in a big, cheerful sitting room. A kindly faced +woman was bathing her temples, while a young girl chafed her hands. + +"Where am I?" said Grace feebly. "Did Napoleon get out?" + +"Lie still and rest, my dear," said Mrs. Forrest, "Don't try to exert +yourself." + +Grace sat up and looked about her. "Oh, I know what happened. I fainted. +How silly of me. I never did that in my life before. I had a terrible +scare, but I'm all right now." + +The man who had carried her to the house came forward. + +"My name is Hampton, miss. I am a guard over at the asylum. Those other +men you saw are employed there, too. We were looking for one of our people +who escaped night before last. He nearly killed his keeper. He's the worst +patient we have out there. Thinks he's Napoleon. Judging from your fright, +I guess you must have met him. Did you really lock him in that old house?" + +"Indeed I did," answered Grace, who was rapidly recovering from the +effects of her fright. "He took me for the Empress Josephine." She related +all that had happened, ending with the way she locked his emperorship in. + +"Well, all I've got to say is that you're the pluckiest girl I ever came +across," said the man admiringly, when Grace had finished. + +But she shook her head. + +"I never was so frightened in my life before. I shall never forget his +screams." + +It was after eight o'clock when Grace Harlowe arrived at her own door. The +man Hampton had insisted on calling a carriage, so Grace rode home in +state. As she neared the house she saw that the lawn and porch were full +of people. + +"What on earth is the matter!" she asked herself. As she alighted from the +carriage her mother rushed forward and took her in her arms. + +"My darling child," she sobbed. "What a narrow escape you have had. You +must never, never wander off alone again." + +"Why, mother, how did you know anything about it?" + +"When you didn't come home to supper I felt worried, for you had not told +me that you were invited anywhere. Then Nora came down to see you, and +seemed surprised not to find you at home. She said you had gone on a +specimen hunt after school. I became frightened and sent your father out +at once to look for you. He met the keepers with that dreadful man," said +Mrs. Harlowe, shuddering, "and they described you, telling him where you +were and how they had met you. Your father went straight out to the +Forrests. I suppose you just missed him." + +Grace hugged her mother tenderly. "Don't worry, mother. I'm all right. +What are all these people standing around for?" + +"They came to see you, of course. The news is all over town. Everyone is +devoured with curiosity to hear your story." + +"It looks as though I had become a celebrity at last," laughed Grace. + +She was obliged to tell the story of her adventure over and over again +that night to her eager listeners. Her chums hung about her adoringly. +Hippy, Reddy and David were fairly beside themselves. + +"Oh, you lunatic snatcher," cried Hippy, throwing up his hat to express +his feelings. + +"You never dreamed that the little key you gave me would prove my +salvation," said Grace to David, as her friends bade her good night. "It +surely must have been fate." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +COMMENCEMENT + + +Examinations had ceased to be bug-bears and kill joys to the young idea of +Oakdale. The last paper had been looked over, and the anxious hearts of +the majority of the High School pupils had been set at rest. In most cases +there was general rejoicing over the results of the final test. Marks were +compared and plans for the next year's course of study discussed. + +The juniors were about to come into their own. When the present seniors +had been handed their diplomas, and Miss Thompson and Mr. Cole had wished +them god-speed, the present juniors would start on the home stretch that +ended in commencement, and a vague awakening to the real duties of life. + +The senior class stood for the time being in the limelight of public +attention. It was the observed of all observers. Teas were given in honor +of its various members, and bevies of young girls in dainty summer apparel +brightened the streets of Oakdale, during the long sunny afternoons. + +It was truly an eventful week. Grace Harlowe gave a tea in honor of Ethel +Post, which was a marked social success. The two girls had become +thoroughly well acquainted over their golf and had received great benefit +from each other's society. Miss Post's calm philosophical view of life had +a quieting effect on impulsive Grace, while Grace's energy and +whole-hearted way of diving into things proved a stimulus to the older +girl. + +It was Tuesday afternoon and class day. High School girls in gala attire +were seen hurrying up the broad walk leading to the main door of the +school building. + +It was the day of all days, to those about to graduate. Of course, +receiving one's diploma was the most important feature, but class day lay +nearest the heart. + +The exercises were to be held in the gymnasium. + +The junior and senior classes had brought in half the woods to beautify +the big room, and Oakdale gardens had been ruthlessly forced to give up +their wealth of bud and bloom in honor of the occasion. + +It was customary for the seniors to invite the junior class, who always +sat in a body at one side of the gymnasium; while the seniors sat on the +opposite side. The rest of the space was given up to the families of the +seniors and their friends. Lucky, indeed, were those who could obtain an +invitation to this most characteristic of class functions. + +The four girl chums had been among the fortunate recipients of +invitations. A very pretty picture they made as they followed the usher, +one of the junior class, to their seats. + +Grace wore a gown of pale blue organdie that was a marvel of sheer +daintiness. Jessica, a fetching little affair of white silk muslin +sprinkled with tiny pink rosebuds; while Anne and Nora were resplendent in +white lingerie gowns. Anne's frock was particularly beautiful and the +girls had exclaimed with delight over it when they first caught sight of +her. + +It was a present from Mrs. Gray, Anne told them. She had fully expected to +wear her little white muslin, but the latter had grown rather shabby and +she felt ashamed of it. Then a boy appeared with a big box addressed to +her. Wrapped in fold after fold of tissue paper lay the exquisite new +gown. Pinned to one sleeve was a note from Mrs. Gray, asking her to accept +the gift in memory of the other Anne--Mrs. Gray's young daughter--who had +passed away years ago. There were tears in Anne's eyes as she told them +about it, the girls agreeing with her that there was no one in the world +quite so utterly dear as Mrs. Gray. + +"I'm glad we're early," whispered Nora. "We can watch the classes come in. +See, that place is for the juniors. It is roped off with their colors and +the other side belongs to the seniors." + +"How fine the gym. looks," remarked Anne. "They certainly must have worked +hard to fix it up so beautifully." + +"Julia Crosby is largely responsible for it," answered Grace. "She has the +most original ideas about decorations and things. You know the juniors +always decorate for the seniors. It's a sacred duty." + +"Did you know that Julia was elected president of her class?" asked +Jessica. + +"Oh, yes," said Grace, "she told me about it the other day. Oh, girls, +here they come! Doesn't Ethel Post look sweet? There's Julia at the head +of her class." + +"It is certainly great to be a graduate," sighed Nora. + +"Speaking of graduation," said Grace, "did you know that David has put off +his graduation for another year! He wished to finish school with Hippy and +Reddy. They have planned to enter the same college. So our little crowd +will be together for one more year." + +"How nice of him," cried the girls. + +"Yes, isn't it! I'll be awfully sorry when my turn comes," responded +Grace. "I'm sure I shall never care for college as I do for this dear old +school." + +"You can't tell until you've tried it," said Nora wisely. + +The two classes had now seated themselves, and an expectant hush fell upon +those assembled. The first number on the program was a song by the senior +glee club. This was followed by the salutatory address, given by a tall +dignified senior. The class poem came next, and was received with +enthusiasm. The other numbers followed in rapid succession, each being +applauded to the echo. The class grinds were hailed with keen relish. Each +girl solemnly rose to take her medicine in the form of mild ridicule over +some past harmless folly. + +The class prophecy provoked ripples of merriment from the audience. + +Grace chuckled with glee at the idea of exclusive Ethel Post becoming the +proprietor of a moving-picture show at Coney Island. The futures +prophesied for the other members of the class were equally remarkable for +their impossibility. + +At last nothing remained but the senior charge and the junior reply. The +president of the senior class rose, and facing the juniors poured forth +her final words of advice and counsel. She likened them to a baby in +swaddling clothes, and cautioned them to be careful about standing on +their feet too early. It was the usual patronizing speech so necessary to +class day. + +Julia Crosby smiled a little as the senior exhorted her hearers to never +forget the dignity of their station. She was thinking of the day she +crashed into that young woman, in the corridor. The senior president had +manifested the dignity of her station then. + +Julia straightened her face and stepped forward to make her reply. She +thanked the president for her solicitude and tender counsel. She humbly +acknowledged that the juniors were helpless infants, entirely innocent of +the wicked world. They realized that they needed proper nourishment and +exercise. There was one consolation however, they were daily growing +larger and wiser, and their lungs were strong. If all went well they hoped +to be healthy, well-grown seniors, capable of giving sage advice to those +who would follow them. + +Grace's face was full of eager appreciation as she listened to Julia's +clever speech. How greatly she had changed, and what a power she would be +in her class during the senior year. Grace felt that her sophomore year, +though dark in the beginning, was about to end in a blaze of glory. + +Julia sat down amid demonstrations of approval. Then the first notes of +"Auld Lang Syne" sounded on the piano, and the entire audience, led by the +senior glee club, rose to their feet to join in that sweetest of old songs +whose plaintive melody causes heart strings to tighten and eyes to fill. + +The four chums silently joined hands as they sang, and mentally resolved +that with them "auld acquaintance" should never "be forgot." + +There was a second's pause after the song was done. Then clear on the air +rose the senior class yell. That broke the spell. Those who had felt lumps +rising in their throats at the music, laughed. A buzz of conversation +began, and soon the graduates were surrounded by their families and +friends. + +The gymnasium gradually cleared. The seniors hurried off to their banquet +on the lawn and one more class day glided off to find its place with those +of the past. + +"Wasn't it perfectly lovely?" sighed Jessica, as they made their way out. + +"I think commencement week has even more thrills in it than Christmas," +Nora replied. "Wait till we have our class day. You shall write the class +poem, Anne, and Jessica the song." + +"I speak for the class prophecy," said Grace. + +"That leaves nothing for me but the grinds. But that job would be greatly +to my taste," said Nora. + +"What about the rest of the class?" inquired Anne, smiling at this +monopoly of class honors. "Are we to carry off all the glory!" + +"Without a doubt," Jessica answered. "After us there are no more." + +"Be sure to come to my house for supper Thursday evening," said Grace. "We +are to go to commencement together, you know. The boys are coming, too." + +The chums parted with many expressions of satisfaction over the pleasant +afternoon's entertainment. + +Thursday evening found them impatiently awaiting the boys. + +"I suppose they all stopped to fuss and prink," said Nora, as she peered +through the vines that screened the porch. "Men are, truly, vainer than +girls. There they come around the corner, now. I really believe Hippy is +growing fatter. He looks awfully nice to-night, though," she hastily +added. + +Hippy had a friend in Nora. + +"Did you know that Tom Gray is in town?" asked David, as he took his place +beside Anne and Grace. The latter carried an immense bouquet of red roses +to give to Ethel Post. + +"Oh, how nice!" exclaimed Grace. "I suppose he'll be there to-night with +dear Mrs. Gray." + +"Yes, they are going," said David. "I don't believe Mrs. Gray has missed a +commencement for the last twenty years." + +"I wonder who'll get the freshman prize this year?" mused Grace. "I hope +it goes to some girl who really needs it. I know one thing; there will be +no claimant for the hundred dollar prize this year. Anne broke the +record." + +"Indeed she did," said David, looking fondly at Anne. "To be in company +with Oakdale's star prize winner is a great honor." + +"Oh, don't," said Anne who hated compliments. + +"Very well, if you spurn the truth," replied David. "By the way, I have an +invitation to deliver. Miriam wants all of you to come up to our house the +minute the exercises are over to-night. Never mind if it is late. +Commencement comes but once a year." + +"De-lighted," chorused the chums. + +"Hush," said Hippy. "Make no uproar. We are about to enter the sacred +precincts of Assembly Hall. I feel that on account of my years of +experience I must make myself responsible for the behavior of you +children. Smother that giggle, Nora O'Malley," he commanded, looking at +Nora with an expression of severity that set oddly on his fat, +good-natured face. + +This made the whole party laugh, and Hippy declared, disgustedly, that he +considered them quite ignorant of the first principles of good behavior. + +They were seated in the hall at last, and for the next two hours listened +with serious attention to the essays and addresses of the graduates. + +Grace had sent Ethel Post her roses as soon as she entered the hall, and +had the pleasure of seeing them in her friend's hands. + +The diplomas were presented, and the freshman prize given out. It was won +by a shy-looking little girl with big, pleading, brown eyes. Grace watched +her closely as she walked up to receive it and resolved to find out more +about her. + +"She looks as though she needed friends," was her mental comment. + +Anne, too, felt drawn toward the slender little girl. She recalled her +freshman commencement and her total collapse after the race had been won. + +"I hope that little girl has friends as good and true as mine," she +whispered to Grace. + +"Don't you think she looks lonely?" Grace asked. + +"She surely does," returned Anne. "Let's find out all about her." + +"Done," Grace replied. + +As soon as the exercises were over the young people hurried over to where +Tom Gray and his aunt stood talking with friends. + +"Well, well," sighed the old lady joyously, "here are all my own children. +I am so glad to see you. I understand that I am too late with my +invitation for an after gathering. Miriam has forestalled me," she added, +placing her arm around Miriam, whose face glowed with pleasure at the +caress. + +"She has invited me, too, so I am not to complain. As many as there are +room can ride in my carriage. The rest will have go in Tom's." + +"Tom's?" was the cry, "When did he acquire a carriage?" + +"Come and see it," was Tom's reply. + +They all trooped out, Hippy leading the van. + +"I wish to be the first to look upon the miracle," he cried. + +"It's a peach," he shouted, as the others came up, and he was right. + +"O Tom, isn't it great?" Grace exclaimed. + +Directly in front of Mrs. Gray's carriage stood a handsome Packard car. + +"Aunt Rose gave it to me, to-day," he explained, his face glowing. "It +has been waiting a week for me. Come on, everybody, and we'll get up steam +and fly to Nesbit's." + +Of course every one wanted to ride in the new car. David and Anne decided, +however, to go with Mrs. Gray, and with a honk! honk! the automobile was +off. + +The Nesbit home was ablaze with light. Mrs. Nesbit stood in the wide hall +waiting to receive Miriam's guests. + +"The first thing to do is to find food," declared David, leading the way +to the dining room. + +The whole party exclaimed with admiration at the tastefully decorated +table. A huge favor pie in the shape of a deep red rose ornamented the +center, the ribbons reaching to each one's place. There were pretty, +hand-painted place cards, too, tied with red and gold, the sophomore +colors. + +Mrs. Gray occupied the place of honor at the head of the table. She was +fairly overflowing with happiness and good cheer, as she beamed on first +one and then another of her children. + +The young people did ample justice to the delicious repast served them. +The favor pie created much amusement, as the favors were chosen to suit +the particular personality of each guest. After every one had finished +eating, a season of toasts followed. + +"Here's to dear Mrs. Gray," said David, raising his glass of fruit punch, +"May she live to be one hundred years old, and grow younger every day. +Drink her down." + +Mrs. Gray proposed a toast to Mrs. Nesbit, which was drunk with +enthusiasm. Presently every one had been toasted, then Miriam rose and +begged permission to speak. + +It was unanimously granted. + +"I suppose you all think I invited you here to-night for the express +purpose of having a good time," she said. "So I did. But now that you are +here, I want to talk to you about a plan that I hope you will like. It +rests with you whether or not it materializes. You know that we have a +cottage at Lake George, although we do not always spend our summers there. +But I want to go there this year, and you can make it possible for me to +do so." + +"We'll carry your luggage and put you on the train, if that will help you +out any," volunteered Hippy. + +Miriam laughed. "That isn't enough," she said. "I want every one of you to +go, too, Now don't say a word until I'm through. Mother has given her +consent to a house party, and will chaperon us. Don't one of you refuse, +for I shall pay no attention to you. You simply must come. We are to +start next Tuesday, and stay as long as we like. So you'll have to make +your preparations in a hurry. We'll meet at the station next Tuesday +morning at 9.30. That's all." + +Then what a babble arose. Grace and Nora were in high glee over the +proposed trip. They were sure of going. Anne was rather dubious at first, +but Grace overruled her objections, and made fun of Jessica for saying she +had promised to visit her aunt. + +"Go and visit your aunt afterwards, Jessica. Remember, she is a secondary +matter when compared to us," she said laughingly. + +"I shall take my car," said Tom. "That will help things along." + +"Mother has promised me one," remarked David, "so we'll have plenty of +means of conveyance. + +"How sorry I am that you can't go, too, Aunt Rose," exclaimed Tom +regretfully. + +"Nonsense," replied his aunt, "you don't want an old woman at your heels +all the time. Besides, I must visit my brother in California this summer. +I haven't seen him for several years." + +"Let's drink to the success of the house party," cried Reddy, "and pledge +ourselves to be on time next Tuesday morning. Drink her down." + +When next we meet our Oakdale boys and girls, they will have returned to +their books after a long happy summer. In "GRACE HARLOWE'S JUNIOR YEAR AT +HIGH SCHOOL"; Or, "FAST FRIENDS IN THE SORORITIES," the girl chums will +appear as members of a High School sorority. Here the reader will make the +acquaintance of Eleanor Savell, a clever but exceedingly wilful girl, +whose advent in Oakdale High School brings about a series of happenings +that make the story one of absorbing interest. The doings of a rival +sorority, organized by Eleanor, the contest for dramatic honors between +Eleanor and Anne Pierson and the mischievous plot against the latter +originated by the former and frustrated by Grace Harlowe, are among the +features that will hold the attention and cement the reader's friendship +for the girl chums. + + +THE END + + * * * * * + +HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY'S + +CATALOGUE OF + +The Best and Least Expensive + +Books for Real Boys +and Girls + + * * * * * + +Really good and new stories for boys and girls are not plentiful. Many +stories, too, are so highly improbable as to bring a grin of derision to +the young reader's face before he has gone far. The name of ALTEMUS is a +distinctive brand on the cover of a book, always ensuring the buyer of +having a book that is up-to-date and fine throughout. No buyer of an +ALTEMUS book is ever disappointed. + +Many are the claims made as to the inexpensiveness of books. Go into any +bookstore and ask for an Altemus book. Compare the price charged you for +Altemus books with the price demanded for other juvenile books. You will +at once discover that a given outlay of money will buy more of the ALTEMUS +books than of those published by other houses. + +Every dealer in books carries the ALTEMUS books. + + * * * * * + +Sold by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price + +Henry Altemus Company + +1326-1336 Vine Street, Philadelphia + + * * * * * + +The Motor Boat Club Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The keynote of these books is manliness. The stories are wonderfully +entertaining, and they are at the same time sound and wholesome. No boy +will willingly lay down an unfinished book in this series. + + 1 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB OF THE KENNEBEC; + Or, The Secret of Smugglers' Island. + + 2 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB AT NANTUCKET; + Or, The Mystery of the Dunstan Heir. + + 3 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB OFF LONG ISLAND; + Or, A Daring Marine Game at Racing Speed. + + 4 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB AND THE WIRELESS; + Or, The Dot, Dash and Dare Cruise. + + 5 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB IN FLORIDA; + Or, Laying the Ghost of Alligator Swamp. + + 6 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB AT THE GOLDEN GATE; + Or, A Thrilling Capture in the Great Fog. + + 7 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB ON THE GREAT LAKES; + Or, The Flying Dutchman of the Big Fresh Water. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Range and Grange Hustlers + +By FRANK GEE PATCHIN + +Have you any idea of the excitements, the glories of life on great ranches +in the West? Any bright boy will "devour" the books of this series, once +he has made a start with the first volume. + + 1 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS ON THE RANCH; + Or, The Boy Shepherds of the Great Divide. + + 2 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS' GREATEST ROUND-UP; + Or, Pitting Their Wits Against a Packers' Combine. + + 3 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS ON THE PLAINS; + Or, Following the Steam Plows Across the Prairie. + + 4 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS AT CHICAGO; + Or, The Conspiracy of the Wheat Pit. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +Submarine Boys Series + +By VICTOR G. DURHAM + +These splendid books for boys and girls deal with life aboard submarine +torpedo boats, and with the adventures of the young crew, and possess, in +addition to the author's surpassing knack of story-telling, a great +educational value for all young readers. + + 1 THE SUBMARINE BOYS ON DUTY; + Or, Life on a Diving Torpedo Boat. + + 2 THE SUBMARINE BOYS' TRIAL TRIP; + Or, "Making Good" as Young Experts. + + 3 THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE MIDDIES; + Or, The Prize Detail at Annapolis. + + 4 THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE SPIES; + Or, Dodging the Sharks of the Deep. + + 5 THE SUBMARINE BOYS' LIGHTNING CRUISE; + Or, The Young Kings of the Deep. + + 6 THE SUBMARINE BOYS FOR THE FLAG; + Or, Deeding Their Lives to Uncle Sam. + + 7 THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE SMUGGLERS; + Or, Breaking Up the New Jersey Customs Frauds. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Square Dollar Boys Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The reading boy will be a voter within a few years; these books are bound +to make him think, and when he casts his vote he will do it more +intelligently for having read these volumes. + + 1 THE SQUARE DOLLAR BOYS WAKE UP; + Or, Fighting the Trolley Franchise Steal. + + 2 THE SQUARE DOLLAR BOYS SMASH THE RING; + Or, In the Lists Against the Crooked Land Deal. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The College Girls Series + +By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A.M. + + 1 GRACE HARLOWE'S FIRST YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 2 GRACE HARLOWE'S SECOND YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 3 GRACE HARLOWE'S THIRD YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 4 GRACE HARLOWE'S FOURTH YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 5 GRACE HARLOWE'S RETURN TO OVERTON CAMPUS. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +Pony Rider Boys Series + +By FRANK GEE PATCHIN + +These tales may be aptly described as the best books for boys and girls. + + 1 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE ROCKIES; Or, The Secret of the Lost + Claim.--2 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN TEXAS; Or, The Veiled Riddle of + the Plains.--3 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN MONTANA; Or, The Mystery + of the Old Custer Trail.--4 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE OZARKS; + Or, The Secret of Ruby Mountain.--5 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE + ALKALI; Or, Finding a Key to the Desert Maze.--6 THE PONY RIDER + BOYS IN NEW MEXICO; Or, The End of the Silver Trail.--7 THE PONY + RIDER BOYS IN THE GRAND CANYON; Or, The Mystery of Bright Angel + Gulch. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Boys of Steel Series + +By JAMES R. MEARS + +Each book presents vivid picture of this great industry. Each story is +full of adventure and fascination. + + 1 THE IRON BOYS IN THE MINES; Or, Starting at the Bottom of the + Shaft.--2 THE IRON BOYS AS FOREMEN; Or, Heading the Diamond + Drill Shift.--3 THE IRON BOYS ON THE ORE BOATS; Or, Roughing It + on the Great Lakes.--4 THE IRON BOYS IN THE STEEL MILLS; Or, + Beginning Anew in the Cinder Pits. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Madge Morton Books + +By AMY D.V. CHALMERS + + 1 MADGE MORTON--CAPTAIN OF THE MERRY MAID. + + 2 MADGE MORTON'S SECRET. + + 3 MADGE MORTON'S TRUST. + + 4 MADGE MORTON'S VICTORY. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + + +West Point Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + + +The principal characters in these narratives are manly, young Americans +whose doings will inspire all boy readers. + + 1 DICK PRESCOTT'S FIRST YEAR AT WEST POINT; + Or, Two Chums in the Cadet Gray. + + 2 DICK PRESCOTT'S SECOND YEAR AT WEST POINT; + Or, Finding the Glory of the Soldier's Life. + + 3 DICK PRESCOTT'S THIRD YEAR AT WEST POINT; + Or, Standing Firm for Flag and Honor. + + 4 DICK PRESCOTT'S FOURTH YEAR AT WEST POINT; + Or, Ready to Drop the Gray for Shoulder Straps. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +Annapolis Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The Spirit of the new Navy is delightfully and truthfully depicted in +these volumes. + + 1 DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; + Or, Two Plebe Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. + + 2 DAVE DARRIN'S SECOND YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; + Or, Two Midshipmen as Naval Academy "Youngsters." + + 3 DAVE DARRIN'S THIRD YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; + Or, Leaders of the Second Class Midshipmen. + + 4 DAVE DARRIN'S FOURTH YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; + Or, Headed for Graduation and the Big Cruise. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Young Engineers Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The heroes of these stories are known to readers of the High School Boys +Series. In this new series Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton prove worthy of +all the traditions of Dick & Co. + + 1 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN COLORADO; + Or, At Railroad Building in Earnest. + + 2 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN ARIZONA; + Or, Laying Tracks on the "Man-Killer" Quicksand. + + 3 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN NEVADA; + Or, Seeking Fortune on the Turn of a Pick, + + 4 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN MEXICO; + Or, Fighting the Mine Swindlers. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +Boys of the Army Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +These books breathe the life and spirit of the United States Army of +to-day, and the life, just as it is, is described by a master pen. + + 1 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE RANKS; + Or, Two Recruits in the United States Army. + + 2 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS ON FIELD DUTY; + Or, Winning Corporal's Chevrons. + + 3 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AS SERGEANTS; + Or, Handling Their First Real Commands. + + 4 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE PHILIPPINES; + Or, Following the Flag Against the Moros. + +(_Other volumes to follow rapidly._) + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +Battleship Boys Series + +By FRANK GEE PATCHIN + +These stories throb with the life of young Americans on to-day's huge drab +Dreadnaughts. + + 1 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS AT SEA; + Or, Two Apprentices in Uncle Sam's Navy. + + 2 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS FIRST STEP UPWARD; + Or, Winning Their Grades as Petty Officers. + + 3 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS IN FOREIGN SERVICE; + Or, Earning New Ratings in European Seas. + + 4 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS IN THE TROPICS; + Or, Upholding the American Flag in a Honduras Revolution. + +(_Other volumes to follow rapidly._) + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Meadow-Brook Girls Series + +By JANET ALDRIDGE + +Real live stories pulsing with the vibrant atmosphere of outdoor life. + + 1 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS. + + 2 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS ACROSS COUNTRY. + + 3 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS AFLOAT. + + 4 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS IN THE HILLS. + + 5 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS BY THE SEA. + + 6 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS ON THE TENNIS COURTS. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +High School Boys Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +In this series of bright, crisp books a new note has been struck. Boys of +every age under sixty will be interested in these fascinating volumes. + + 1 THE HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMEN; + Or, Dick & Co.'s First Year Pranks and Sports. + + 2 THE HIGH SCHOOL PITCHER; + Or, Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond. + + 3 THE HIGH SCHOOL LEFT END; + Or, Dick & Co. Grilling on the Football Gridiron. + + 4 THE HIGH SCHOOL CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM; + Or, Dick & Co. Leading the Athletic Vanguard. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +Grammar School Boys Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +This series of stories, based on the actual doings of grammar school boys, +comes near to the heart of the average American boy. + + 1 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS OF GRIDLEY; + Or, Dick & Co. Start Things Moving. + + 2 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS SNOWBOUND; + Or, Dick & Co. at Winter Sports. + + 3 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN THE WOODS; + Or, Dick & Co. Trail Fun and Knowledge. + + 4 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER ATHLETICS; + Or, Dick & Co. Make Their Fame Secure. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +High School Boys' Vacation Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +"Give us more Dick Prescott books!" + +This has been the burden of the cry from young readers of the country +over. Almost numberless letters have been received by the publishers, +making this eager demand; for Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin, Tom Reade, and +the other members of Dick & Co. are the most popular high school boys in +the land. Boys will alternately thrill and chuckle when reading these +splendid narratives. + + 1 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' CANOE CLUB; + Or, Dick & Co.'s Rivals on Lake Pleasant. + + 2 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER CAMP; + Or, The Dick Prescott Six Training for the Gridley Eleven. + + 3 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' FISHING TRIP; + Or, Dick & Co. in the Wilderness. + + 4 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' TRAINING HIKE; + Or, Dick & Co. Making Themselves "Hard as Nails." + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Circus Boys Series + +By EDGAR B.P. DARLINGTON + +Mr. Darlington's books breathe forth every phase of an intensely +interesting and exciting life. + + 1 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE FLYING RINGS; + Or, Making the Start in the Sawdust Life. + + 2 THE CIRCUS BOYS ACROSS THE CONTINENT; + Or, Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark. + + 3 THE CIRCUS BOYS IN DIXIE LAND; + Or, Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South. + + 4 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI; + Or, Afloat with the Big Show on the Big River. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The High School Girls Series + +By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A.M. + +These breezy stories of the American High School Girl take the reader +fairly by storm. + + 1 GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; + Or, The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshman Girls. + + 2 GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; + Or, The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and Athletics. + + 3 GRACE HARLOWE'S JUNIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; + Or, Fast Friends in the Sororities. + + 4 GRACE HARLOWE'S SENIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; + Or, The Parting of the Ways. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + * * * * * + +The Automobile Girls Series + +By LAURA DENT CRANE + +No girl's library--no family book-case can be considered at all complete +unless it contains these sparkling twentieth-century books. + + 1 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT NEWPORT; Or, Watching the Summer + Parade.--2 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS IN THE BERKSHIRES; Or, The Ghost + of Lost Man's Trail.--3 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS ALONG THE HUDSON; + Or, Fighting Fire in Sleepy Hollow.--4 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT + CHICAGO; Or, Winning Out Against Heavy Odds.--5 THE AUTOMOBILE + GIRLS AT PALM BEACH; Or, Proving Their Mettle Under Southern + Skies.--6 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT WASHINGTON; Or, Checkmating + the Plots of Foreign Spies. + +Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT +HIGH SCHOOL*** + + +******* This file should be named 15344.txt or 15344.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/3/4/15344 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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