how utterly innocent of blame she was.

"Do you mean to tell me that Miriam meant Anne when she said she could
name the girl?" demanded Nora.

"She did, indeed," replied Anne, "and if it had not been for Grace she
would have made things very unpleasant for me."

"Humph," ejaculated the fiery Nora, "then all I have to say is that I
don't see how a nice boy like David ever happened to have a horrid
hateful, scheming sister like Miriam. Stand up for Anne? Well I rather
think so! Let Miriam dare to say anything like that to me."

"Or me," said Jessica.

"I knew you girls would feel the same as I do," said Grace. "Anne has some
true friends, thank goodness. You see Miriam is basing all her
suppositions on the fact that Anne was allowed to come to practice. She
doesn't know anything about the loss of the signals. You remember she
objected to Anne seeing the practice game. Now she will try to show that
she was right in doing so."

"Let her try it," said Jessica, "She'll be sorry."

"I am not so sure of that," said Anne quietly. "You know that Miriam has
plenty of influence with certain girls, while I am only a stranger about
whom no one cares except yourselves and the boys and Mrs. Gray.

"You are the brightest girl in school just the same," said Nora, "and that
counts for a whole lot. Miss Thompson likes you, too, and our crowd is not