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.