s. She had set a fashion of doing little kind, considerate,
helpful things, which many of the rest began unconsciously to follow.
There are always a large number of girls in a school who drift along
without any special aim, yet are ready enough to respond to anyone who
draws out the best that is in them. If one companion succeeds in
avoiding little evils and inconsistencies, keeping her temper, and
showing forbearance and self-restraint in all the small daily acts, her
character will begin to invade other lives, and uplift them in spite of
themselves. Patty was not aware that she had made any difference at The
Priory, and certainly never for a moment intended to set herself up as
an example; but without knowing it she had given a helping hand to
several who, but for her, might never have made any endeavour to mount
to a higher level. Avis in particular was far more conscientious than
before, and Enid, who had hitherto been content if her half-learnt
lessons did not win a scolding from Miss Harper, began to put more zeal
into her work. She was a bright girl, and could easily win class laurels
if she wished, though she disliked any continuous efforts. Her essays
were full of originality, and she was quick at understanding anything
which required reasoning, but she had little patience for remembering
dates and facts, and was not capable of Patty's steady plodding. Though
both Maud Greening and Kitty Harrison had become more friendly, Vera
Clifford and Muriel still held aloof from Patty, and it was owing to
them that an unpleasant incident occurred one day which caused the
latter much distress. Patty's talent for drawing was well known in the
school; she was clever at portraits, and with a few rapid lines could
make excellent likenesses. The girls were fond of asking her to do
sketches for them on scraps of paper, which they would afterwards keep
inside their lesson books as great treasures. Among others, Patty had
drawn a capital picture of Miss Rowe, showing her classical features and
her coils of smooth, fair hair. It was regarded as her masterpiece, and
Cissie Gardiner, its lucky owner, was quite envied by the rest of the
class. Cissie placed it inside her _Merchant of Venice_, and for several
days rejoiced in its possession. One morning, however, the Upper Fourth
was reading Shakespeare with Miss Rowe. This lesson was always held in
the lecture-room instead of in the classroom, where Miss Harper was
teaching the lower di