They
had loosed her collar, and some ammonia had been procured from the
physics laboratory by Frank, who also brought water.

"I can't imagine what made her faint," whispered Grace. "She never did
such a thing before."

"Probably it was the storm," said the teacher. "I have often noticed that
just before a severe electrical disturbance I felt 'like flying to
pieces,' to put it crudely. Then when the rain came I would get calm
again. I remarked that Amy did not seem quite herself while reciting, and
perhaps I should have excused her, but I hoped, by letting her fix her
attention on the lesson, that the little spell might pass over."

"It was that horrid Alice Jallow giggling at her!" declared Mollie, who
had come softly into the room. "I could--" she clenched her hands, and
her dark eyes gleamed.

"Mollie," said Betty softly, and the threatened fit of anger passed over.

"She will come to in a moment," remarked Miss Greene, as she saw Amy's
eyelids fluttering. "It was just a nervous strain. I have seen it
happen before."

"Not with Amy," declared Grace, positively.

"No; but in other girls."

"I do hope Amy isn't going to be ill," said Betty. "We want her to come
on the walk with us."

"I have heard of your little club," said the teacher, with a smile. "The
idea is a very good one; I hope you have a pleasant time. I think it will
do all of you good. I wish more of my girls would take up systematic
walking. We would have better recitations, I think."

"Poor Amy!" murmured Grace. "I wonder what could have caused it?" and she
looked down at her pale, little chum.

"It was because Alice laughed at her!" declared Mollie, half fiercely.

"I think not," spoke Betty, softly. "Amy has not been quite herself of
late. She--"

But she was not destined to finish that sentence, for the girl under
discussion opened her eyes, and struggled to sit up.

"You're all right," said Miss Greene, softly. "Lie still, my dear."

"Where am I--what happened? Oh, I remember. Did I faint?" and she asked
the question in some alarm.

"You did, my dear; but there was no harm in that," spoke Miss Greene
softly, and she laughed in a low voice.

"I--I never did such a thing before. What made me?"

"The storm, Amy. It was the electrical disturbance, I think. My! how
it rains!"

A perfect deluge was descending, but it had brought a calm to the waiting
earth, and calm to tired girlish nerves as well. Amy sighed, and then sat
up. The c