"Yes," answered Grace calmly; "but, if everybody is agreeable, suppose we go ahead."
"Agreed!" cried the others and the ballots were cast.
There was not much parliamentary practice in these class elections. Each girl wrote the name of her choice on a slip of paper and dropped it in a hat. Four of the girls then counted the votes, and the one receiving the most slips was declared elected.
The slips were dropped into the hat, amid the silence of the company. Some of the sophomores and juniors, perched on parallel bars, watched the scene with superior amusement, but no notice was taken of their half-whispered jeers.
The four girls then retired to count the votes.
"It's a tie," announced Marian Barber, returning presently; "a tie between Grace and Miriam. I wish some of the others would come and settle the matter."
"Here's some one," cried Nora. "Here's Anne Pierson. Let her cast the decisive vote."
Miriam's eyes blazed, but she held her peace. There was nothing to do but submit with an uneasy grace. But who could doubt what the outcome would be? However, she felt somewhat relieved when Grace said:
"I think we should cast the votes over again, and, according to the rules we made last year, Miriam and I should not vote, since the election rests between us."
The votes were cast again, Anne timidly dropping her slip in the hat with the others, and, as might have been expected, Grace was elected captain of the Freshman Basketball Team of the Oakdale High School.