One wet, rainy April afternoon Miss O' Shay, the principal, sent for Nancy Lee to stop by her office as school closed. Pupils without umbrellas or raincoats crowded in doorways hoping to make it home between showers. Outside the skies were grey. Nancy Lee's thoughts were suddenly grey, too.

She did not think she had done anything wrong, yet that tight (紧的) little knot came in her throat just the same as she came near Miss O' Shay's door. Perhaps she had banged her locker too often and too hard. Perhaps the note in French she had written to Sallie halfway across the study hall just for fun had never got to Sallie but into Miss O' Shay's hands instead.

She knocked on Miss O' Shay's door. That familiarly solid and competent voice said, "Come in."

Miss O' Shay had a way of making you feel welcome, even if you came to be punished.

"Sit down, Nancy Lee Johnson," said Miss O' Shay. "I have something to tell you." Nancy Lee sat down."But I must ask you to promise not to tell anyone yet."

"I won't, Miss O' Shay," Nancy Lee said, wondering what on earth the principal had to say to her.

"You are about to graduate," Miss O' Shay said. "And we shall miss you. You have been an excellent student, Nancy, and you will not be without honors (荣誉) on the senior list, as I am sure you know."

At that point there was a light knock on the door. Miss O' Shay called out, "Come in," and Miss Dietrich entered."May I be part of this, too?" she asked, tall and smiling.

"Of course," Miss O' Shay said."I was just telling Nancy Lee what we thought of her. But I hadn't got around to giving her the news. Perhaps, Miss Dietrich, you'd like to tell her yourself."

Miss Dietrich was always direct."Nancy Lee," she said, "your picture has won the Artist Club scholarship."

The brown girl's eyes widened, her heart jumped, then her throat tightened again. She tried to smile, but instead tears came to her eyes.

"Dear Nancy Lee," Miss O' Shay said, "we are so happy for you." The elderly white woman took her hand and shook it warmly while Miss Dietrich smiled with pride.

Nancy Lee must have danced all the way home. She never remembered quite how she got there through the rain. She hoped she had been calm. But certainly she hadn't stopped to tell anybody her secret on the way. Raindrops, smiles, and tears mingled on her brown face. She hoped her mother hadn't yet got home and that the house was empty.