o her reputation and she had scarcely
delivered the opening line before they realized that she would not
disappoint them.

Her musical voice vibrated with expression and the mock-serious
bantering tones in which she delivered Rosalind's witty speeches caused
Mr. Southard to smile and nod approvingly as she gave full value to the
immortal lines. Her change of voice from Rosalind to Orlando was wholly
delightful, and so charmingly did she depict both characters that when
she ended with Orlando's exit she received a little ovation from the
listening girls, in which Mr. Southard and Miss Tebbs joined.

"She's won! She's won! I'm so glad," Grace said softly to Nora and
Jessica. "I wanted her to play Rosalind, and I knew she could do it.
Look, girls! Mr. Southard is shaking hands with her."

True enough, Anne was shyly shaking hands with the great actor, who was
congratulating her warmly upon her recent effort.

"I have never before heard an amateur read those lines as well as you
have to-day, Miss Pierson," he said. "I am sure Rosalind will be safe
with you, for few professional women could have done better. If I am
anywhere near here when your play is enacted, I shall make it a point to
come and see it."

Shaking hands warmly with Miss Tebbs and bowing to the admiring girls,
Mr. Southard hurriedly departed, leaving his audience devoured with
curiosity as to the chosen ones.

Anne stood perfectly still, looking rather dazed. The unexpected had
happened. She was to have not only a part, but the best part, at that.
The girls gathered eagerly about her, congratulating her on her success,
but she was too overcome to thank them, and smiled at them through a
mist of tears.

"Look at Eleanor," whispered Nora to Grace. "She's so angry she can't
see straight. She must have wanted to play Rosalind herself. I told you
she'd sulk if she couldn't be the leading lady."

Grace glanced over toward Eleanor, who stood biting her lip, her hands
clenched and her face set in angry lines.

"She looks like the 'Vendetta' or the 'Camorra' or some other Italian
vengeance agency, doesn't she?" said Nora with a giggle.

Grace laughed in spite of herself at Nora's remark, but regretted it the
next moment, for Eleanor saw the glances directed toward her and heard
Nora's giggle. She turned white and half started toward Grace, then
stopped, and, turning her back upon the Phi Sigma Tau, began talking to
Edna Wright.

Just then Miss Tebbs, who