.
But just a word of advice. Select as your leaders girls in whom the others
have confidence; those who may be trusted to do right; however unpleasant
it may be. Young girls may laugh at and seemingly admire a smart bravado
of manner and sly deceit, but when it comes to being led, they want none
of these. A dozen trustworthy agents will be worth more than a hundred who
are not."

Such advice Miss Cresswell had given Elizabeth the evening of the meeting.
She had already acted upon it according to her best lights, though it was
no easy matter to decide whom to choose. She and her friends worked
slowly. They wished the reformation to be the outcome of deliberate
thought, rather than of impetuous emotion.

Nora O'Day was one of its staunch supporters. At every opportunity she
advocated the acceptance of the new school creed which Elizabeth and Miss
Cresswell had drawn up. Considering the part which she had played in the
examinations the previous spring, her present position was a difficult
one. She knew that her strenuous efforts were looked upon by some with
suspicion. But she continued. She might have become discouraged had she
not known that Miss Cresswell and Elizabeth both understood.

Since that night before the holidays when she had told Elizabeth the cause
of her social ostracism, no mention had been made of the subject. There
had been no change in Elizabeth's manner toward her. Nora began to believe
that Elizabeth cared enough for her to forgive. Her greatest proof of love
for Elizabeth was giving her the essays and theses which had been her
mother's. The memory of this mother was the only bit of real sentiment
that had ever come into the girl's life. She was fond of her father for he
had always been kind to her. As a child, she had idolized him. But as she
grew old enough to learn what character meant, the childish faith died.
She could not put the feeling into words. She was scarcely conscious that
her attitude toward him had changed. But at Exeter she had learned to
blush at the way in which his wealth had been gained. She spoke of him,
but never of his business. She looked upon the simple gifts and loving
letters which Elizabeth received from home with a feeling very much like
envy.

Before the Easter holidays, Mrs. Hobart sent Elizabeth a simple school
suit of her own making. Joe Ratowsky carried it down to Exeter. So many
accidents had occurred on the dinky-road that it had been abandoned until
spring. Th