the end of her strength. She leaned against the window jamb and wept
bitterly.

But the address of Mark Anthony over the dead body of Cæsar was not more
effective than this simple schoolgirl's speech. Every girl there melted
into tears of remorse and sympathy.

"Oh, Grace," cried Marian Barber, "won't you forgive us? We never dreamed
it would hurt you so. Now that I look back upon it, I can't see how we
could have asked you to do it. We did believe that Miss Pierson betrayed
us; but after all, that had nothing to do with your being captain of the
team. I think you have been a great deal more loyal than we have. I want
to say right here, girls, that I apologize to Grace and scratch my name
off the list."

She took a pencil, dashing it through her signature, which was the first
one on the letter.

One by one each of the other girls put a pencil stroke through her name.

Then they pinned on their hats, slipped into their coats and left the room
as quickly as possible. They were all desperately ashamed; each in her
secret heart wished she had never entered into the conspiracy.

They had given the captaincy to Grace, and after all, they had no right to
take away what they had freely given, and for no better reason than that
Grace was loyal to a friend whom they distrusted.

It was a cruel thing that they had done. They admitted it to each other
now, and wished they had never listened to Miriam Nesbit.