rned the pages while the argument continued
within her. She seemed to have no way of deciding, when suddenly she
remembered Nursing Sister Ruth's words, "York Hill girls have the
reputation overseas of being willing to tackle any job--no matter how
hard--and of _putting it through_." Top Self hadn't a chance after that.
Filling in here seemed her most immediate duty and Judith settled down
grimly to her task.

The rehearsal was long and tiring, and twenty times during the first
hour Judith was tempted to give up. But she did her best, and although
Eleanor was distracted by all the numberless things demanding attention,
she found time to stop and say at the end of the first act, "Good work,
Judy! I knew I could depend on you. You'll make a first-rate Scrooge,
and you are a brick to get to work without any fuss." And although
Judith did not believe the remark about her acting, her face flushed
with pleasure and she determined that she would not spend another moment
in questioning. This job must be put through.

And it was. She woke early in the morning and learned her part by the
light of Nancy's flashlight. She cut her recreation time and scamped her
lesson preparation. She thought and lived Scrooge, and as she had a good
memory she was word-perfect before Eleanor had thought it possible.
Eleanor and Patricia coached her whenever they could, and Miss Marlowe
gave her Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon.

* * * * *

Friday morning, and with it the literature examination! Judith read the
paper with a sinking heart. She would not fail, but, as she had guessed,
the extra reading which she had planned to do during these last few days
would have given her paper "The little more, and how much it is" which
would have lifted it to the first rank. Came Friday afternoon with its
last rehearsal and then the fateful night.

Judith will never forget the thrill of terror that ran through her as
the curtain rose and she saw the rows of faces staring at her out of
the semi-darkness. For an instant she was paralyzed with terror, and it
was only the audience's delight at finding Frances arrayed as Scrooge's
irrepressible nephew that covered the gap between "Merry Christmas,
Uncle," and "Bah! Humbug!"

The first short scene was wooden enough in all conscience, but Judith
remembered her words, and as the story progressed she got a better grip
on herself surprising and delighting Eleanor and those who