By this time the other side had “gained consciousness,” as Minette expressed it, and were massing to form a blockade. To reach the ballot box, deposit the votes every one of which was correctly signed, then to seize the box, count the votes and announce the winner would constitute a legal election. And some work! In spite of the scramble and seeming disorder, every turn of the proceeding was carried out according to parliamentary rules—all but one detail: the candidate had not accepted the nomination. “Where is she? Where is Jane Allen? Jane, dig in!” came shout after shout, as the girls pressed their way to the little box, therein to deposit the fateful slip of yellow paper. But Jane did not appear. Nevertheless the voting went on, wildly, madly. Groups of the opposition surrounded groups of the less experienced girls—those among the freshmen, but captives were quickly released by the forceful breaking in of the sophs. The call for Jane grew wilder and more persistent. “Is she hiding?” someone asked. “Jane Allen hide!” came back the indignant denial. “You don’t know your candidate.” “Where is she? Produce her, or we shall challenge the election!” This last threat came from the gallery, and was known to have been uttered in a faculty voice. Now Jane must really be produced. “Quick! Get the boxes. They are all in,” gasped the panting Judith. “Jump into the side room and get counting before the others can line up, and we will go for Jane. We will not come back without her.” “Fraud! Fraud! Stuffed boxes! Unparliamentary! Against the rules! Where’s your candidate?” came the repeated and reiterated shouts until even the lustiest among them cracked her voice and fell back on groans. “They can’t do it,” insisted a cry for the opposition. “Yes, we can. We will have our candidate here on time to accept,” came back the equally determined rejoinder. “Clear the floor. Balloting is over for the count. Polls closed! Time’s up, clear the floor for counting!” came the well-known official voice from the gallery. “Shame! Outrage! Fraud!” muttered the vanquished horde, but Judith and Grazia were scouring for Jane. Without the presence of the candidate she could not be legally elected. But where on earth was the invisible and elusive Jane! CHAPTER XV—ELECTION NIGHT “But she is not in her room. I went there just before the Pow-Wow.” “She may have come back. Where else could she be?” “Do you suppose?” “No, I don’t. Jane would stand by her guns to the last ditch.” “Yet, she was so determined not to run. Perhaps, after all, we were foolish to force it on her.” “No, I just weighed up all the standards, and decided we had to have her for the good of this year’s work all round. And then I knew, if we could convince her of that, she would not desert us. I know Jane will come through.”