"Now, girls," began Miss Archer, firmly, "we are going to settle this difficulty here in my office before anyone of you goes back to her classes. That is the reason I have sent for Miss Dean. When Miss La Salle entered her complaint against you, Miss Seymour, I decided that you should have a chance to speak in your own behalf. No sooner were you brought face to face than one accused the other of treachery. From the front row of the gallery, where I sat on the afternoon of the game, I could see every move of the players, but my eyes were not sufficiently trained to detect the roughness of which you accuse each other. Then I remembered that Miss Dean sat next to me and that she was a seasoned player. So I sent for her to ask her in your presence if she saw the alleged roughness on the part of either of you." There was a half-smothered exclamation of dismay from Marjorie. Ellen was regarding her in mute appeal. Mignon's lips curled back in a sneer. It was dreadful to remain under a cloud. "I am waiting for you to speak, Miss Dean." Marjorie drew a long breath. "Miss Seymour spoke the truth. I saw Miss La Salle purposely push Miss Seymour away from the ball. Someone else saw her, too--someone who sat on the other side of the gallery." Her tones carried unmistakable truth with them. "It isn't true! It isn't true!" Mignon's voice rose to an enraged shriek. "She only says so because she wants to pay me for making her resign from the team." "What did I tell you?" asked Ellen Seymour, triumphantly. "She admits that she was responsible for that resignation." "That will do," commanded Miss Archer, raising her hand. Ellen subsided meekly. Realizing that she had said too much, Mignon quieted as suddenly as she had burst forth. "Miss Dean, are you perfectly sure of what you say?" questioned Miss Archer. "I am quite sure," was the steady answer. A seemingly endless silence followed Marjorie's reply. The principal surveyed the trio searchingly. "What girls comprise the freshman team?" At last she put the question coldly to Mignon. The French girl sulkily named them. Miss Archer made note of their names. The principal then pressed the buzzer that summoned her secretary. "Send these young women to me at once," she directed, handing Marcia the slip of paper. Turning to the three girls before her she said, "Miss Seymour, you may go back to the study hall. Unless you hear from me further you are exonerated from blame. I shall not need you either, Miss Dean. I am sorry that I was obliged to involve you in this affair, but I am glad that you were not afraid to tell the truth." Marjorie turned to follow Ellen Seymour from the room, when the door opened and the freshman basketball team filed in. For a brief instant the principal's attention was fixed upon the entering girls, and in that instant Mignon found time to mutter in Marjorie's ear, "I'll never forgive you for this and you'll be sorry. Just wait and see if you're not." CHAPTER XV