knew all that I was doing and saying, and even
thinking. I believe her eyes and ears must be sharper than anybody
else's. She seems to notice such tiny little things, and then speaks of
them quite a long time afterwards. She remembered perfectly well, I'm
sure, that it was Beatrice Wynne who used always to borrow other
people's pencils last term and never give them back, because when
Beatrice lent her one yesterday she said so pointedly that she should
return it."

It was impossible to tell from the teacher's manner whether she
considered the translation had really belonged to Patty. Her remark at
the time about the initials certainly favoured such a supposition, but
she made no difference in her behaviour, and, indeed, several times
praised Patty's work during the Latin lesson. The ownership of the book
seemed likely to remain an unsolved mystery, one of those unpleasant
occurrences which happen sometimes in a school, to the grief of the
mistresses and the consternation of all concerned. The only thing which
it was possible for Patty to do was to live the affair down, and trust
that time and patient waiting might one day re-establish her reputation
absolutely and beyond a doubt in the opinion of both teachers and
comrades. The remainder of the spring term passed without any special
event, and by Easter Mrs. Hirst wrote to say that the children were now
in the best of health, that scarlet-fever germs had long ago been
disinfected away, and that all the family were looking forward eagerly
to her return. Patty thought there never had been such a meeting, or
such glorious holidays as followed afterwards. It was almost worth while
to have been absent for seven whole months to experience the joy of such
a warm welcome as she found waiting for her at home. The little ones
clung to her like flies round a honey pot, and even the baby, grown out
of all knowledge, soon made friends with the sister whom he had
forgotten. She had several delightful drives with her father when he
went on his rounds, and in the long chats with her mother, after the
younger ones were in bed, she was able to pour out most of her troubles,
and get that comfort and good counsel which mothers always seem to know
best how to give.

"I wish Muriel would like me better!" confided Patty. "It seems no use;
however hard I try to be nice to her, everything I do is always wrong.
Am I really keeping my promise to Uncle Sidney, when she never gives me
the chance