“Mollie,” said Betty softly, and the threatened fit of anger passed over.

“She will come to in a moment,” remarked Miss Greene, as she saw Amy’s eyelids fluttering.  “It was just a nervous strain.  I have seen it happen before.”

“Not with Amy,” declared Grace, positively.

“No; but in other girls.”

“I do hope Amy isn’t going to be ill,” said Betty.  “We want her to come on the walk with us.”

“I have heard of your little club,” said the teacher, with a smile.  “The idea is a very good one; I hope you have a pleasant time.  I think it will do all of you good.  I wish more of my girls would take up systematic walking.  We would have better recitations, I think.”

“Poor Amy!” murmured Grace.  “I wonder what could have caused it?” and she looked down at her pale, little chum.

“It was because Alice laughed at her!” declared Mollie, half fiercely.

“I think not,” spoke Betty, softly.  “Amy has not been quite herself of late.  She—­”

But she was not destined to finish that sentence, for the girl under discussion opened her eyes, and struggled to sit up.

“You’re all right,” said Miss Greene, softly.  “Lie still, my dear.”

“Where am I—­what happened?  Oh, I remember.  Did I faint?” and she asked the question in some alarm.

“You did, my dear; but there was no harm in that,” spoke Miss Greene softly, and she laughed in a low voice.

“I—­I never did such a thing before.  What made me?”

“The storm, Amy.  It was the electrical disturbance, I think.  My! how it rains!”

A perfect deluge was descending, but it had brought a calm to the waiting earth, and calm to tired girlish nerves as well.  Amy sighed, and then sat up.  The color came back into her pale face.

“I am all right now,” she said, more firmly, and was soon able to walk.

“Stay here a little longer,” urged Miss Greene, “Betty, Mollie and Grace may remain with you.  I will go out to the other pupils.  Some of them may be alarmed.”

A crash of thunder almost smothered her words, and the girls started nervously.  The three glanced apprehensively at Amy, but she smiled bravely and said: 

“Don’t worry about me.  I’m all right.  It was silly of me to go off that way.”

The storm raged and tore about the school, and gradually spent its fury.  Miss Greene gave up the attempt to have a Latin recitation, and the class was permitted to engage in general conversation.

It was the final period of the day, and soon school was over.  Most of the girls remained, however, for few had brought rain coats or umbrellas, there being no hint that morning of the deluge that was to come.  Then the rain gradually slackened, and the pupils departed.

“Don’t come to school to-morrow, if you don’t feel well,” urged Miss Greene, as Amy and her chums left.

“Oh, I’ll be all right,” she brightly answered.