Grace’s old basketball ardor had returned threefold and every available moment found her in the gymnasium hard at work.  The other members of the teams had imbibed considerable of her enthusiasm.  Miss Martin, the center, laughingly said Grace was a human whirlwind and simply made the rest of the team play to keep up with her.  Miriam’s playing also evoked considerable praise.  The first Saturday in February marked the last game with the Number Two team.  It turned out to be quite an event and the gallery of the gymnasium was crowded with a mixed representation of classes.  Virginia Gaines and Elfreda sat in the first row, and as the play proceeded Virginia watched the skilful tactics of Miriam and Grace with anything but enthusiasm.  Elfreda, narrowly watching her companion, read apprehension in Virginia’s face, although she made light of the playing of the freshmen team and predicted an easy victory for the sophomores.  Scarcely knowing why she did so, Elfreda had doggedly insisted that if the sophomores hoped to beat that freshman team, they would have to play exceptionally well.  Whereupon an argument arose regarding the respective merits of the two teams that lasted all the way to Wayne Hall, and ended in the two girls not speaking to each other again that night.

“Did you see Elfreda in the gallery this afternoon?” asked Anne, as she and Grace left the gymnasium and set out for Wayne Hall.  Anne had waited in the dressing room until Grace finished dressing.

“I did not see any one,” laughed Grace.  “I was far too busy.  I am surprised to learn that she came to the game.”

“She was there, in the third row balcony,” replied Anne.  “She sat with Virginia Gaines, who looked ferocious enough to bite.”

“I wish something would happen to make Elfreda see that we are her friends,” sighed Grace.

“She will see, some day,” predicted Anne.  “Sooner or later she will realize her mistake and come back to us.”

CHAPTER XIX

A GAME WORTH SEEING

The second Saturday in February dawned anything but encouragingly.  The night before a blizzard had set in, and at one o’clock Saturday afternoon the temperature had dropped almost to zero.  The wind howled and shrieked dismally, and to venture out meant to nurse frozen ears as a result of facing the blast.  But neither wind nor weather frightened the enthusiastic basketball fans.  With knitted and fur caps pulled down over their ears they gallantly braved the storm.  Even the majority of the faculty were in the front seats that had been reserved for them and by two o’clock every available inch of space in the gallery was filled.