o abandon all hope of passing.

[Illustration: In the very midst of that dread ordeal known as a test]

Steve Brown, having gathered some inkling of Janet's mental troubles,
was beginning to have his opinion of the whole procedure. Seeing her
in such difficulty he had a feeling of revolt against educational
things in general, but as the wrong seemed to be beyond his individual
powers to remedy, he could only make another trip to the end of the
hall. Glancing again at the questions on the board he looked in vain
for some inquiry upon the subject of Climate. There did not seem to be
even one. And when next he came back, after composing himself for
about half a minute on the window ledge, the door was unceremoniously
shut in his face!

He had come to a definite stop in hope of finding at least one question
upon the subject of Climate; the door was shut in his face.
Confronting him was the printed legend--"County Superintendent." His
heels were frozen to the floor. If it had not been that it was an
improper and very unusual thing to do, he could have shot each
particular letter of that announcement full of bullet holes.

The remedy for this peculiar outrage not at once presenting itself, he
turned on his heel and made another trip to the farther window where he
at once came face-about and began patrolling the hallway, past the door
and back again, his spurs clicking sharply and his high boot-heels
punctuating his progress as if every step put a period to his thoughts.

As he thus took his mind a-walking, everything about Janet's present
situation struck him in a light more obnoxious and foolish.
Examination! Examin_ation_! The idea of that girl having to go to
that fellow to be tested! The idea of _his_ having any such
_authority_ over her! And besides, if that little Professor really
wanted to get an idea of her merits, why did n't he talk to her and
find out whether she had common sense? She certainly had more than
_he_ had. As if any man with half an eye could n't see that she was
the very person to teach children!

As Janet's situation struck him more deeply, and he began to realize
how she might feel if she failed, he stopped and glared again at that
brazen lettering. Possibly she was failing now. He felt that if he
had the authority, or any proper cause,--which he could hardly make out
that he had,--he would march in and reform the thing right then and
there. But he had no authority. The other fe