"You clear right out of here!" howled a third.
Still the little figure advanced.
"I won't give up," she shouted back, white-faced and stubborn. "You can do what you like; I won't give up!"
In answer to this defiance there was a moment's silence. Then the largest boy stepped out with his weight tied to a cord in his hand.
"All right," he said. "Then look out for your head!"
His companions moved back out of danger, and he began to swing the lead round and round.
"You can't frighten me," said Mary. "I'm going to go to the meetings and I'm going to invite you to the meetings. You can't stop me."
She stood perfectly still. The tall boy moved nearer. He lifted his arm and began to swing the piece of lead round and round in the air. It passed within six inches of Mary's face; another swing, and it was within four inches. Now it touched a flying tendril of her hair. Another swing and it might kill her.
But the boy dropped his arm and let the cruel weapon fall. For the first time in his unruly life he had been beaten—not by force, but by love.
"Let her alone," he said gruffly. "She's game."