Somebody giggled, then subsided with a little squeak. Salome looked at Duane. "The school sports club have great pleasure in presenting you with this," she said gravely and very distinctly. "They have also put your name down in the eleven for the match against St. Mary Magdalene's to-morrow, and hope you will play. They also wish me to say," and there was a slight tremor in her voice, "that they are quite convinced that you have always worn it with honour in the past, and they know you will continue to do so in the future." The tension relaxed with a tumultuous burst of applause. Duane, her old hockey colour tightly clutched in the hand that hung at her side, bit her lip hard to control its trembling. But only for the moment. With the loud, delighted yells of "Speech, Speech!" from everybody sounding on all sides, she turned and faced them, speaking in the old familiar drawl as soon as the noise had died down. "I see by your anxiety to hear me that you are well aware I speak with authority and not as the scribes"--loud cheers--"or perhaps I should say, the juniors--but on this occasion I'm not going to say much. I will convince the hockey club of my earnestness by the number of goals I shall score on its behalf to-morrow. When they see shots falling about the St. Mary's goalkeeper like--like leaves in autumn----" Everybody, amid laughter, realized that it was apparently the same old Cato talking and not some unfamiliar heroine of fiction. The rest of the speech was never heard, for someone struck up "For she's a jolly good fellow," and they continued it till prep bell put an end to the din. Smiles and kindly words were seen everywhere in Carslake's that evening. Kitty and Duane were actually going in to supper arm-in-arm; France and Margaret beamed with delight at everybody. The girls in Dormitory A were squabbling as to who should fetch their head prefect's hot water, but Duane settled the matter by asking Erica if she wouldn't mind doing it, and as Erica took the jug, a happier look on her face than there had been for many a week, no one said an ungenerous word or gave her an unkind look. When Miss Carslake came round to switch off the lights there was a very hearty "Good night" in response to hers, and the house mistress went on her way happily conscious that one could say of her house at last, "All's well." _Made and Printed in Great Britain by The Greycaine Book Manufacturing Company Limited, Watford_ 100.537