sual
character was in the air.

There was an undercurrent of unrest, a turning of heads, a subdued
rustling, even an occasional whisper; and the head mistress, realizing
at last that some outside cause must be distracting the minds of her
pupils, glanced up, and, following the direction of all eyes, saw a
sight that filled her with unfeigned astonishment. Among the neat rows
of orange-banded sailor hats in the benches marked "St. Chad's" was one
trimmed with large and obtrusive knots of emerald-green ribbon, which
drooped over the brim, while a bunch of imitation shamrock finished the
front. It seemed to stand out so conspicuously from its fellows that it
resembled a succulent palm tree growing in the midst of a sandy desert,
and could not fail to attract the attention of the whole school. How
such an irregularity had crept in amongst the uniforms of the college
Miss Cavendish could not comprehend; it must form the subject of an
after enquiry, and in the meantime, stilling with a reproachful glance
a faint whisper in her vicinity, she joined in the singing of a psalm
with her usual clear intonation. When the service was over, however,
and the girls began to file away in orderly line, she spoke a few,
rapid words to a monitress, who at once passed quickly out by a side
door.

As the extraordinary green hat made its appearance in the quadrangle it
was greeted with quite a buzz of excitement by the girls assembled
outside. Only a few of them, comparatively, knew Honor by sight, and
the rest were asking who she was, and to which house she belonged. The
common feeling was distinctly unfavourable. Apart from the unseemliness
of such an exhibition in a sacred place, new girls were not expected to
make themselves conspicuous, or to introduce innovations; either was
considered an impertinence on their part: so the general verdict was
that Honor had done a dreadful thing, and public opinion was dead
against her. She, however, held up her head as proudly as though her
absurd hat had been the latest creation from Bond Street.

"It's a tribute to my native land!" she said airily, in response to a
chorus of questions. "Sorry you don't like it, but it's my first
attempt at hat-trimming, and I flattered myself it wasn't bad for a
beginner. St. Patrick for ever! I made up my mind before I started that
I'd keep up the credit of the shamrock on this side of the water, and
I've done my best. Hurrah for old Ireland!" Then, as if her feel