"We'll have to take another ballot," Beth said in a low tone excitedly. "How close it is! Oh, Dolly, I do hope that you will get it." The tension was growing too much. Sharp things were said in undertones, and a little bitterness was evident in the remarks that were made and the suggestions that were offered. Dolly sat back quietly, a troubled look on her face. Even if she were elected, half of the class would be more or less opposed to her. There would certainly be two factions. What could she do? What was the _right_ thing to do? What would her mother advise? "I wonder if I ought to withdraw my name?" Dolly said to herself, as another acrimonious remark was made by one of Margaret Hamilton's admirers. "I have just as much right to run as she has, and, if she is elected I shall not be hateful to her. I shall congratulate her, and do all that I can to help her. I would like to be president, and yet--" The tellers had returned again. The result was announced amid a breathless silence. "Miss Hamilton, 157; Miss Alden, 157," announced the chairman of the tellers. "As there are 315 present, it is quite evident that someone did not vote." Obeying a sudden impulse, Dolly rose to her feet. "Madam Chairman, I did not cast any vote, and while it may be a little irregular for me to do so now, after the result has been announced, I hope that I may be accorded that privilege. If so, I cast my vote for Miss Hamilton." For a moment no one spoke or seemed to take in the full meaning of Dolly's generous speech. Then there was a deafening uproar, and the room was filled with wild cheers. Dolly had done a fine thing, and the girls were quick to show their appreciation of it. As soon as the hubbub had partially subsided, Dolly was nominated for the vice-presidency and unanimously elected. The rest of the meeting went off smoothly. Something in Dolly's action had touched the better nature of the girls, and they all felt secretly ashamed of their momentary bitterness and injustice. Beth was elected recording secretary, and the other offices were filled without ill feeling or jealousy. After the meeting Margaret Hamilton went straight to Dolly. "I want to thank you for my election," she said, with outstretched hand. "You are the most generous girl I ever knew. I was glad to be elected," with a look in her eyes that Beth noted, but could not understand. "But I do hope that sometime I can help make _you_ president. I shall certainly not forget what you did." They talked it over afterward in Dolly's room, girl-fashion. "There was no sense in your doing that," Beth said bluntly. "Of course Margaret Hamilton voted for herself; if you had voted for yourself at first, you would have been elected. Don't you see?"