ys passed out by a side door, so that they seldom met the boys in
the churchyard. Should they happen to do so, however, it was etiquette
to take no notice of them, even though some might be relations, or
intimate friends. Honor was unaware of this rule, which her classmates,
not knowing she had a brother at the Grange, had not thought of
mentioning to her.

On this particular Sunday either Miss Cavendish or Dr. Winterton had
slightly miscalculated the time, for the two schools arrived at exactly
the same minute. As there was not room for all to march in together
through the lich-gate, the boys were drawn up like a regiment, and
waited for the College to go by. The girls sailed past with well-bred
unconsciousness, their eyes fixed discreetly upon the Prayer Books and
hymn-books that they carried--all except poor impulsive, unconventional
Honor, who made a sudden dart out of the line, and snatched rapturously
at a brown-faced, curly-headed boy, by his coat sleeve.

"Dermot! Dermot! I _am_ glad to see you!" she exclaimed, in a voice that
could be heard from end to end of the ranks.

"Oh, I say, Honor! Stow it!" murmured the boy in an agonized tone,
turning as red as fire, and trying to back away from her.

Naturally Honor's unexpected and unprecedented act caused a great
sensation. Lettice Talbot stopped when deserted by her partner, and the
girls behind her were obliged to halt too. All wondered what had
happened, and, in spite of their excellent training and good
discipline, their curiosity got the better of them, and they craned
their necks to look. Miss Farrar saved the situation by hurrying to
Honor, seizing her by the shoulder, and forcing her back into her
place; then the long line once more moved forward, and the
Chessingtonians, slightly ruffled, but trying to carry off the affair
in a dignified fashion, marched with admirable coolness into the
church. If Honor had a little, surreptitious cry behind her Prayer
Book, she managed to conceal the fact from the neighbours on either
side of her in the pew; and if her eyes looked suspiciously red, and
there was a slight tendency to chokiness in her voice as she walked
home after service, Lettice Talbot, at any rate, was tactful enough to
take no notice, though she seized the opportunity of explaining the
school code of decorum, and was severe in her censure.

"You ought to have told me before," said Honor. "How could I know that
I mustn't speak to my own brother?"