tigervsdragon

"What is it, my dear?" The head mistress drew herself slightly up, and looked in some surprise at her pupil.[Pg 68]

"My conduct? What have I done?"

The common room to which she conducted Miss O'Hara was entirely for the use of the elder girls; the girls of the middle and the lower school had other[Pg 20] rooms to amuse themselves in. But this large, luxuriously furnished apartment was entirely given up to the sixth and fifth-form schoolgirls.

"Well, I'm here," she said; "what is it?" She still used that half-mocking, indifferent voice.Steps—several steps—were heard clattering up the stone stairs of the little tower, and two or three girls of the middle school, with roughly tossed heads and excited faces, burst upon the seclusion of the four sixth-form girls."Well," said Janet, "what did that impertinent servant want? I hope you showed her her place, Dorothy? The idea of her presuming to stop us when we were so busy!"

tigervsdragon

"And you also dislike poor Bridget? I can't imagine why you take such strong prejudices."

"I must have a cupboard like that," said Biddy. "Why, it's perfectly delicious!"But plain as Evelyn undoubtedly was, no one who knew her long ever remarked about her appearance, or gave a second thought to the fact that she could lay small claim to physical beauty."I'd make it up if I was you, miss," she said.

Dorothy, Ruth, and Olive had now come into the schoolroom, and had taken their places by Janet's side. She gave them a quick look, in which considerable aversion to the newcomer was plainly visible, then turned her head and gazed languidly out of the window."Miss Collingwood," said Marshall, in a timid whisper, "might I say a word to you, miss?"

"No, Bridget, you are to stay here; your dinner will be brought to you." Bridget flushed crimson.

[Pg 53]

[Pg 58]