is point of
vantage Mr Samuel Chute was from time to time inspecting her every act.

For Mr Chute was a good deal exercised in his spirit.

"If it isn't to be friends it shall be enemies," he said; and he not
only set himself to watch, but told his mother--to use his own words--to
have an eye on the next-door people, a commission which Mrs Chute
seized upon with avidity, it being one greatly to her taste.

Samuel Chute, then, knew of Percy Thorne's coming before Hazel, and also
who the tall, overgrown lad was. He knew of the arrival of the business
letters that morning, and after due debate in his own mind, he came to
the conclusion that there was something wrong.

"They won't get over me in a hurry," he muttered; and taking it that
there was a conspiracy of some kind afloat, he went quite early into the
school and lowered the shutter, ready to keep a watch upon Hazel's
movements, and to be ready--he only knew why--with movements of his own.

So it was there that he saw Hazel looked agitated and ill at ease, and
also saw her write a letter and call up one of the girls, fat Ann
Straggalls--the slow, innocent and sure--being selected for the task.

Mr Chute thrust his hands through his hair and made it stick up
fiercely as he left his desk, frowned all round the room, said "Sh! sh!"
in several classes, and then walked quickly to the door, turned and gave
a glance round to find every eye in the school directed at him, and then
stepped out into the front just in time to find Ann Straggalls engaged
in a struggle with Hazel's missive, which refused to be tucked down into
the bosom of the stout young maiden's dress, consequent upon the
tightness of certain strings.

"Here! Hi! Straggalls!" cried Chute, and the girl crawled shrinkingly
to him in the same way as the boys would have turned, a sharp, quick
call from Mr Chute always suggesting impending punishment to the
youthful mind.

"How is it you are not in school, Ann Straggalls?" said the schoolmaster
importantly.

"Plee, sir, teacher, sir, sent me with this letter, sir. I've got to
take it, sir."

"What letter, Straggalls?"

"This letter, sir," said the girl, holding out the crumpled missive.

"Letter? Ah, a letter for you to take, eh?" he said, after a glance at
the direction; and his teeth gritted together as he thought that Hazel
had never written to him.

He would have detained the missive, but he dared not, and half turning
upon his heel, he saw th