to
remember me by. But it was all the same to Harriet, and, if you will
believe me, she would not be satisfied till I had "kissed it better."

Just think what an ass I looked! I didn't want a bit to do it--indeed,
I was as mad as blitz. But, to get rid of her, I did at last. And it
was not so bad, only she bent down and kissed me, too, whispering that
it was all right now. And just then Constantia popped her head over
the banisters and said:

"Ah-ha, you two! Very pretty, indeed!"

And I had a face on me like fire as I went down the two flights of
stairs in three hops.

How I stamped and raged when I got outside! To be kissed by a
girl--well, that's nothing to cry about, if nobody sees and you had not
your mind filled with another girl, especially the former. But to get
caught, and by that Constantia! I believed she had been watching from
the beginning, the nasty, floppy, hang-her-out-on-a-clothes-line
"keep-saker" that she was!

Worse than all, she made me miss Elsie that Friday morning, for I saw
her boot tracks in the snow as soon as I got to our corner. I had
fixed india-rubber heels on her boots, so I knew. She said that that
sort kept her drier, but I knew very well that it was to make her
taller than Harriet Caw, whom she hated.

If she had only known why I was late! But, after all, what is the use
of giving pain to others unnecessarily? It was contrary to my nature
and against my principles. So I resolved that I would not tell Elsie
about my buttoning Harriet's sleeve, or, indeed, anything. My great
aim in life had always been Elsie's peace of mind. Besides, I don't
think she would have taken my explanation in good part. There are some
things that Elsie doesn't seen fitted to understand.

CHAPTER XXII

ELSIE'S DIARY

(_Written in her French Exercise Book by Miss Elsie Stennis._)

I left home on Friday morning at about the usual time--perhaps five
minutes sooner. It was a fine morning--wintry, bright, just enough
snow underfoot to crisp the road, and enough tingle in the air to make
the buds of the willows glitter with rime.

I was reading as I walked. I always do on my way to school, having
learned when quite a girl. It gets over the road. Besides, if you
don't want particularly to see any one--that is a reason.

Not that I was expecting to see anybody--least of all Joe Yarrow. He
had his "Caws"--let him be content. That was what I was saying to
myself. But just at