The contest between Grace and Miriam Nesbit for the basketball captaincy, resulting in Grace's subsequent election, was also one of the interesting features of the freshman year.
The beginning of the sophomore year found Miriam Nesbit in a most unpleasant frame of mind toward Grace and her friends. The loss of the basketball captaincy had been a severe blow to Miriam's pride, and she could not forgive Grace her popularity.
As she walked across the gymnasium followed by the other members of the team, her face wore a sullen expression which deepened as her eyes rested upon Grace, and she nodded very stiffly to the young captain. Grace, fully aware of the coldness of Miriam's salutation, returned it as courteously as though Miriam had been one of her particular friends. Long before this Grace had made up her mind to treat Miriam as though nothing disagreeable had ever happened. There was no use in holding a grudge.
"If Miriam once realizes that we are willing to overlook some things which happened last year," Grace had confided to Anne, "perhaps her better self will come to the surface. I am sure she has a better self, only she has never given it a chance to develop."
Anne did not feel quite so positive as to the existence of Miriam's better self, but agreed with Grace because she adored her.
The entire team having assembled, Grace lost no time in assigning the players to their various positions.
"Miriam will you play one of the forwards?" she asked.
"Who is going to play center?" queried Miriam ignoring Grace's question.
"Why the girls have asked me to play," replied Grace.
"If I cannot play center," announced Miriam shrugging her shoulders, "I shall play nothing."