“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.