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.”