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Page 24
"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.
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