“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.