winked hard to keep back the tears
which rose to her eyes. Then, followed by her one faithful friend, she
walked out of the locker room, leaving her fickle classmates with their
chosen leader.

CHAPTER IX

AN UNSUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

There were two subjects of interest under discussion in the sophomore
class. One was the coming ball, the other the story of the lost signals,
which had gone the round of the class. The general opinion seemed to be
that Anne had betrayed the team, and with the unthinking cruelty of youth,
the girls had resolved to teach her a lesson. Miriam's accusation had been
repeated from one girl to another, with unconscious additions, until Anne
loomed up in the light of a traitor, and was treated accordingly.

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 favorab