scinated by the idea; how completely then she would have
revenged all her wrongs on Hester! Some day Hester would bitterly repent
of her unjust prejudice toward her; some day Hester would come to her,
and beg of her in agony to give her back her darling's love; ah! when
that day came it would be her turn to triumph.

She felt more than satisfied as the temptation grew upon her; she shut
out persistently from her view all the other side of the picture; she
would not let herself think that the work she was about to undertake was
cruel and mean. Hester had been more than unjust, and she was going to
punish her.

Annie paced faster and faster up and down the shady walk, and whenever
her resolution wavered, the memory of Hester's face as she had seen it
the same night in the south parlor came visibly back and strengthened it.
Yes, her turn had come at last Hester had contrived since her entrance
into the school to make Annie's life thoroughly miserable. Well, never
mind, it was Annie's turn now to make her wretched.

CHAPTER XXII.

IN BURN CASTLE WOOD.

In concentrating her thoughts of revenge on Hester, Annie ceased to
trouble her head about Dora Russell. She considered Hester a crueler
enemy than Dora. Hester belonged to her own set, worked in her own class,
and would naturally, had things not turned out so unjustly, so unfairly,
have been her friend, and not her enemy. Dora had nothing to say to
Annie, and before Hester's advent into the school had scarcely noticed
her existence. Annie therefore concentrated all her powers on punishing
Hester. This gave her an aim and an occupation, and at first she felt
that her revenge might give her real pleasure.

Susan Drummond now shared Annie's bedroom, and Annie was rather startled
one evening to hear this phlegmatic young person burst out into a strong
tirade against Hester and Dora. Dora had managed, for some inexplicable
reason, to offend Susan, and Susan now looked to Annie for sympathy, and
boldly suggested that they should get up what she was pleased to called
"a lark" between them for the punishment of this very dignified young
lady.

Annie had never liked Susan, and she now stared at her, and said, in her
quick way:

"You won't catch me helping you in any of your larks. I've had trouble
enough on that score as it is."

Susan gazed at her stupidly, and a dull red spread over her face.

"But I thought you hated Dora and Hester," she said--"I'm sure they h