"You can doubtless puzzle me," said Jess sharply. "But you cannot make me cry, Miss Carrington." "Sit down!" ejaculated the angry teacher. "That goes for a demerit." "And it is about as fair as your demerits usually are," cried Jess. "Two, Miss Morse," said the teacher. "One more and you will not act in that play next week." "If I'd been born dumb," sighed Jess afterward, "it would have been money in my pocket. I almost had to bite the tip of my tongue off to keep from saying something more." "And so ruin the whole play?" said Laura softly. "Huh! I guess Hester Grimes will do that," declared Jess. "She moves about the stage like an automaton. She is going to get us a big laugh, but in the wrong place. Now, you see." The girls rehearsed every afternoon, and the athletic work was neglected. Mrs. Case excused those who were engaged in producing the play. "The Rose Garden" was not such an easily acted play as they had at first supposed. Mr. Mann was patient with them; but in Hester Grimes' case he could not help the feeling of annoyance that took possession of him. Hester Grimes took offence so easily. "Every rehearsal I look for her to cut up rusty," Jess cried. "And somebody has got to play the part of the dark lady! It is not a part that can be cut out of the cast, although it is not a speaking part." Hester had begun to complain, too, because she had no lines. She considered that she was being deprived of her rights, and was of less importance than the other girls, because she was dumb on the stage. "Why! even Bobby Hargrew," she complained, "with her silly sailor part, has lines to repeat, besides that sailor's hornpipe in the first act. Of course, you girls would wish the least important part onto me." "What nonsense, Hester!" cried Jess. "If you really understood the play and the significance of your part, you would not say such a thing. And do, do be less like a wooden image." "Humph! I guess I know my part, Jess Morse," snapped Hester. "It doesn't matter at all what I do on the stage." "What did I tell you?" groaned Bobby. "'Double! Double!' and-so-forth. There is trouble brewing. If we all had measles or chicken-pox, and so couldn't give the play, we'd be in luck, I verily believe." "Oh, don't, Bobby!" begged Dora Lockwood. "You are so reckless." "Just the same, I feel it in my bones that Hester is going to kick over the traces," said Bobby grimly. "If only Margit Salgo had been allowed to have the part," groaned Dorothy. "It's Gee Gee's fault if the play is a failure," snapped Bobby. Never had the disagreeable teacher at Central High been so little liked as at this time. They blamed Miss Carrington more than they did Hester. As the party of troubled girls left the school-house on this particular afternoon, Lily Pendleton ran after them. "What do you think has happened?" she cried. "It's something bad, of course," groaned Nellie Agnew. "Who is hurt?" asked Laura. "It isn't that," said Lily. "But poor Purt Sweet!"