lia Crosby, and again her tantalizing laugh
rang out, "you are entirely too hasty in your supposition. As it happens,
I have the best right in the world to bring my team to the gym. this
afternoon. So, little folks," looking from one sophomore to another in a
way that was fairly maddening, "run away and play somewhere else."

"Miss Crosby," cried Grace, now thoroughly angry, "I insist on knowing
from whom you received permission. It was not granted by Miss Thompson."

"Oh, I did not stop at Miss Thompson's. I went to a higher authority. Mr.
Cole, the boys' principal, gave me a written permission. Here it is. Do
you care to read it?" and Julia thrust the offending paper before Grace's
eyes.

This was the last straw. Grace dashed the paper to the floor, and turned
with flashing eyes to her tormentor.

"Miss Crosby," she said, "if Professor Cole had known that Miss Thompson
had given me permission to use the gymnasium, he would never have given
you this paper. You obtained it by a trick, which is your usual method of
gaining your ends. But I want you to understand that the sophomore class
will not tamely submit to such impositions. We evened our score with you
as freshmen, and we shall do it again this year as sophomores.
Furthermore, we mean to win every basketball game of the series, for we
should consider being beaten by the juniors the deepest possible disgrace.
I regret that we have agreed to play against an unworthy foe."

With her head held high, Grace walked from the gymnasium, followed by the
other members of her team, who were too indignant to notice that Miriam
had remained behind.

CHAPTER II

THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR

Once outside the gymnasium, Grace's dignity forsook her, and she felt a
wild desire to kick and scream like a small child. The contemptible
conduct of the junior team filled her with just rage. With a great effort
at self-control she turned to the other girls, who were holding an
indignation meeting in the corridor.

"Girls," she said, "I know just how you feel about this, and if we had
been boys there would have been a hand-to-hand conflict in the gymnasium
to-day."

"I wish we hadn't given in," said Nora, almost sobbing with anger.

"There was really nothing else to do," said Anne. "It is better to retire
with dignity than to indulge in a free-for-all fight."

"Yes," responded Grace, "it is. But when that insufferable Julia Crosby
poked Professor Cole's permit under my