AN OUNCE OF LOYALTY
When the girls of the sophomore class entered their locker-room the next
day they found a notice posted to the effect that a class meeting would be
held after school in the locker-room at which all members were earnestly
requested to be present.
There was considerable speculation as to the object of the meeting, and no
one knew who had posted the notice. Grace kept her own counsel. She wished
to take the class by surprise, and thus make Anne's restoration to favor
complete.
At recess Nora and Jessica brought up the subject, but found that Grace
apparently wished to avoid talking about it.
"You'll attend, won't you, Grace?" asked Anne.
"Of course," said Grace hastily. "Will you excuse me, girls? I have a
theorem to study."
She felt that if she stayed a minute longer she would tell her friends the
good news and spoil her surprise.
"What makes Grace act so queerly to-day?" said Jessica. "I believe she
knows something and won't tell us."
"I'll make her tell it," said Nora, and ran after Grace. But just then the
gong sounded and recess was over.
As soon as school was dismissed for the day, the entire sophomore class
crowded into the locker-room. They were curious to know what was in the
wind. Every member was present, and Grace felt a secret satisfaction when
Miriam Nesbit, looking rather bored, sauntered in.
There was a confused murmur of voices. The girls chattered gayly to each
other, as they waited for some one to call the meeting to order. When
Grace left the corner where she had been standing with her three friends,
and stood facing her classmates, the talking instantly ceased.
"Girls," she said, "I suppose you wonder who called this meeting, and why
it was called? I wrote the notice you all read this morning. I have
something to tell you which I hope you will be glad to hear."
"At the beginning of the school year, some things happened that caused
unpleasant suspicions to rest upon a member of our class. You all know who
I mean. It has caused her and her friends a great deal of unhappiness, and
I am glad to be able at last to bring you the proof that she has been
misjudged."
Grace paused and looked about her. She noted that Miriam had turned very
pale.
"Just as I suspected," thought Grace, "she really did have a hand in that
signal affair."
Then she continued.
"A few days ago I had occasion to call upon the junior captain, Miss
Crosby. While there, she assured me that the juniors did receive our
signals, but that Miss Pierson had absolutely nothing to do with the
matter. I was not sure that you would care to take my word, alone, for
this"--Grace couldn't resist this one tiny thrust--"so she very kindly
gave me the assurance in writing, signed by herself."
Grace then unfolded the paper and in a clear voice read Julia's statement.
There was not a sound in the room. Grace stood waiting. She had done her
part, the rest lay with her classmates.
Nora and Jessica had their arms around Anne, who had begun to cry quietly.
The relief was so great that it had unnerved her. Then Marian Barber
sprang to Grace's side and seized her by the hand.
"Listen, girls," she cried, "I want to acknowledge for the second time
that I am heartily ashamed of myself. We have all been nasty and
suspicious toward Anne. We never gave her a chance to defend herself, we
just went ahead and behaved like a lot of silly children. I am sorry for
anything I have ever said about her, and I want to tell you right here
that I consider Grace Harlowe the ideal type of High School girl. I only
wish I were half as noble and courageous. I suppose you all wonder why
Grace went to see Julia Crosby. Well I'll tell you. I found out about it
from Julia's sister this morning."
"Oh Marian, please don't," begged Grace, rosy with confusion.
But the girls cried in chorus, "Tell us, Marian! Don't mind Grace!"
When Marian had finished many of the girls were in tears. They crowded
around Anne and Grace vying with each other in trying to show their good
will. Then Eva Allen proposed three cheers for Grace and Anne.
They were given with a will. The noise of the ovation bringing one of the
teachers to the door with the severe injunction, "Young ladies please
contain yourselves. There is too much noise here."
The girls dispersed by twos and threes, until Marian Barber and the chums
were the only ones left.
"I have a motto," said Marian, "that I shall bring here to-morrow and hang
in the locker-room. If I had paid more attention to it it would have been
better for me."
"What is it, Marian?" asked Jessica.
"Wait and see," replied Marian. "Oh, it's a good one, and appropriate,
too."
After saying good-bye to Marian the four chums walked on together.
"Are you happy, Anne, dear?" said Grace, slipping her hand into Anne's.
Anne looked up at Grace with a smile so full of love and gratitude that
Grace felt well repaid for all she had endured for friendship's sake.
"Everything has turned out just like the last chapter in a book," sighed
Nora with satisfaction "The sinner--that's Julia Crosby--has repented, and
the truly good people--Anne and Grace--have triumphed and will live happy
forever after."
The girls laughed at Nora's remark.
"Now I can go on planning for our big game without being afraid that the
girls will stay away from practice and do things to annoy and make it hard
for me," said Grace happily. "I know that we shall win. I feel so full of
enthusiasm I don't know what to do. Oh, girls, I forgot to tell you that
Julia Crosby and I have a perfectly splendid plan. But I promised not to
say anything to anyone about it until she comes back to school."
"How funny it sounds to hear you talk about having plans with Julia
Crosby," said Jessica laughing. "You will make Miriam Nesbit jealous if
you take Julia away from her."
"By the way, girls!" exclaimed Nora, "what became of Miriam? I saw her
enter the locker-room, but she wasn't there when Marian Barber began her
speech. I know she did not remain, because I looked for her and couldn't
find her."
"I saw her go," said Grace quietly, "That is the only part of this story
that doesn't end well. She doesn't like Anne or me any better than before
and never will, I'm afraid. She influenced the girls against us, after the
first game, and you remember what she said at the basketball meeting,
don't you, Nora?"
"Yes," responded Nora, "I do, and if she hadn't been David's sister I
would have told her a few plain truths, then and there."
"I said at the beginning of the year that I believed Miriam had a better
self," said Grace thoughtfully. "I still believe it, and I am not going to
give her up yet."
"I don't envy you the task of finding it," said Jessica.
"I wonder what Marian Barber's motto is?" mused Anne. "She said it would
be a good one."
"I have no doubt of that. Marian Barber doesn't usually do things by
halves when once she starts," said Jessica. "I am surprised that she ever
allowed herself to be drawn into Miriam's net. She seems awfully sorry for
it now."
"Oh, girls," cried Nora suddenly. "I have a half a dollar."
"Really?" said Jessica. "I didn't suppose there was that much money in
Oakdale."
"My sister gave it to me this morning," Nora went on, ignoring Jessica's
remark. "I am supposed to buy a new collar with it, but if you are
thirsty----"
"I am simply perishing with thirst," murmured Grace.
Five minutes later the four girls were seated in the nearest drug store
busily engaged with hot chocolate, while they congratulated Nora on having
spent her money in a good cause.
The sophomores smiled to themselves next morning at Marian's motto. It
hung in a prominent place in the locker-room and read: "An ounce of
loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness."