with gay new letters across the blouse. She sat quite silent and
motionless on the mattress propped against the wall. She could not raise
her eyes to meet the eyes of the girls. She could not speak to them. The
girls did the kindest thing they could do. They went off without
attempting to speak to her, or to offer her condolence or sympathy.

When she raised her eyes, she found that the gymnasium was deserted and
that she was the only occupant.

She arose and went out into the corridor. She could not go to her room
and meet Helen. Helen had played her false. Perhaps, the recent
assumption of dignity on Helen's part had been to prevent any criticism
of this action.

Hester could not remain alone in the gymnasium, neither in her present
garb would she be permitted to visit the parlor, nor to linger in the
halls. The only alternative was to go to her room, and meet Helen there.
The injustice of the choice of substitutes at last appealed to her. Had
she been an Alden in very truth, she could not have shown the old
revolutionary spirit more.

Wounded feeling gave way; personal pride took to itself wings. The thing
was unjust and she would not bear it even from Helen Loraine. Another
thing she would not bear--she had borne it too long already--and that
was the distant, haughty treatment accorded her by Helen. Hester Alden's
spirit arose. She would have justice though she had to fight for it.

The feeling of humiliation left her. Now she had no dread of meeting the
girls. She raised her head proudly. Her eyes flashed, and a flush came
to her cheeks.

Helen was in the study when she entered. She was evidently doing nothing
and had been doing nothing for some minutes. Perhaps she dreaded the
meeting as much as Hester. She looked up when the latter entered and
spoke, "Well, Hester, are you back from the gym?"

To use Debby's expression, Hester was not one to beat about the bush.
Now, she brought up the subject at once.

"Did you or Miss Watson choose the substitutes?" she asked.

"Why, I did. That is, I recommended the ones I wished to play, and Miss
Watson agreed that they were satisfactory."

"Helen Loraine, did you choose ones who played the best, as you have
boasted that you always do?"

"I took the ones that played well and whom I thought had a right to be
substituted."

"Answer me this." Hester walked directly before her roommate. Standing
so, they looked into each other's eyes. "Answer me this. Do I not play