pise our littleness and long to be bigger and broader; some of us
didn't know how to use our bodies or our brains, but the School has
taught us how to be true sports and how to think straight; some of us
had mighty small ideals about what things really mattered; but York Hill
has shown us how 'to play the game, and be true to the best we know.'"
Judith faltered as she remembered how many times she had failed to live
up to that best, her voice broke, and tears shone on her lashes. "Some
of us are little fools--but we're going to see to it that we don't stay
fools, we're going to be women that York Hill will be proud of when we
come back to the Old Girls' Reunion."

And then she sat down feeling limp and tired and wishing that she could
run upstairs to her room and hide her head under the pillows. But the
girls were applauding whole-heartedly.

"It's awfully kind of them," thought Judith; "they know how miserable I
feel breaking down like that--in front of everybody."

"You made the speech of the evening, Judy," said Sally May as Judith
joined her a little later in the Gymnasium for the Sixth-Form Dance.

"Don't be silly, Sally May. I failed, that's what I did, and just when I
wanted badly to say 'thank you' to the School."

"Of course she made the best speech," said Nancy, putting her arm
through Judith's, "Florence has been telling me about it." And Judith
greatly comforted went off to have the first dance with Nancy.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] Transcriber's Note: Page 253, text ends in mid-sentence in original.

CHAPTER XVII

PRIZE-GIVING

AFTER the excitement of the previous day, Saturday morning felt a little
flat and insipid. There was still plenty to do--desks to clean, trunks
to pack, the last preparations to be made for to-night's play--a hundred
and one things in fact.

The crew of the "Jolly Susan" were not particularly jolly; they were
tired, and they hated to take down pictures and curtains, and dismantle
their pretty rooms.

Next year wouldn't be the same, they assured each other; they'd never be
all together again: Sally May wasn't even sure if she were returning to
York Hill. Josephine expected to be back and Jane probably, and Nancy
and Judith. Judith was glad that there wasn't any question as to whether
Nancy would return. She was rapidly coming to the place where she felt
that she simply couldn't live without Nancy. Indeed, the summer
holidays, even with Daddy and Mother home again, had seeme