“It’s more awful to show off before Governors than I expected!” sighed Joyce.  “I’m just shivering!”

“What’ll you be at the rings, then?” asked Bessie.

“Silence!” urged Miss Lever, who was in charge of the ante-room.

The strains of “Little Grey Home in the West” and the regular thud of small feet were wafted from the gymnasium.

“Don’t you wish you were a kid again?” whispered Joyce.

“No, I don’t!” retorted Bessie, so imprudently loud that Miss Lever glared at her.

“It’s horrid having to stay in here, where one can’t see!” murmured Marjorie under her breath.

They knew by the music, however, what was taking place.  The juniors were doing wand exercises, the intermediates followed with clubs.

“Our turn again soon,” whispered Winona.

Olave Parry, from a vantage post near the door, could see into the gymnasium, and report progress.  Her items of news passed in whispers down the ranks.  The babies had skipped like a row of cherubs, and the Governors were wreathed in smiles.  Kitty Carter had dropped one of her clubs, and it nearly hit a visitor on the head, but fortunately missed her by half an inch.  Laura Marshall was performing prodigies on the horizontal ladder—­she undoubtedly had a chance for a medal.  Bursts of applause from the audience punctuated the performance.  Olave continued her report, which Miss Lever, who took occasional excursions into the gymnasium, verified from time to time.  The juniors were competing now.  Natalie Powers was about to do the ring exercises.  It was a swing and a pull-up in front, and she managed that neatly, but when it came to the swing and the turn, she lost her nerve, turned too soon and spun round helplessly in the air until Miss Barbour hurried to her aid.  Natalie was done for, without doubt!  It was a good thing she had not fallen and hurt herself.  Her rivals were rope-climbing.  Madge Collins had reached the top in six seconds, and was sliding down again, to the accompaniment of loud clapping.  Lennie Roberts had beaten her, for she had performed the same feat in exactly five seconds.  The juniors were in a ferment of excitement.  The interest of the audience had waxed to enthusiasm point.

“Seniors!” announced Miss Lever briefly, and the row of waiting figures in the ante-room fell into line, and marched into the gymnasium for the special trials.  The Swedish drill exercises, where all worked together, had not seemed half so formidable.  A well practiced part is not easily forgotten even by a nervous girl, if it must be done in company with others.  It was another matter, however, to perform single athletic feats before a big audience.  For a moment Winona turned almost dizzy with fright.  The big room seemed full of eyes, every one of which would be watching her when it came to her turn.  She looked round with the feeling of a martyr in the arena, and for a moment met the calm steady gaze of Miss Beach.  Winona said afterwards that Aunt Harriet must have mesmerized her, for in that second of recognition she felt a sudden rush of courage.  The thrill of the contest took possession of her, and every nerve and muscle, every atom of her brain, was alert to do its best.  She would let Aunt Harriet see that, though she might fail sometimes in form work, she could hold her own at gymnastics.