In Deborah's school, in the meantime, affairs had drawn to a climax.

The moment had come for the city to say whether her new experiment should be dropped the following year or allowed to go on and develop.

There came a day of sharp suspense when Deborah's friends and enemies on the Board of Education sat down to discuss and settle her fate.

They were at it for several hours, but late in the afternoon they decided not only to let her go on the next year but to try her idea in four other schools and place her in charge with ample funds.

The long strain came to an end at last in a triumph beyond her wildest hopes; when the news arrived she relaxed, grew limp, and laughed and cried a little.