beautiful, the most gifted, and the most perfect of created
beings, and Rhoda agreeably acquiesced in the decision, and was pitiful
of other girls who were not as herself. Every morning when she had not
a headache, and did not feel "floppy" or "nervey," she did lessons with
Fraulein, who adored her, and shed tears behind her spectacles when
obliged to point out a fault. Then the two would repair together to the
tennis courts and play a set, the pupil winning by six games to love; or
go a bicycle ride, when Rhoda would practise fancy figures, while her
good, but cumbersome, companion picked herself up from recumbent
positions on the sidewalk, and shook the dust from her garments. At
other times Rhoda would put on her riding habit and go a ride round the
estate, taking care to emerge from the west gate at the moment when the
village children were returning from school. The little girls would
"bob" in old-fashioned style, and the boys would pull off their caps,
and Rhoda would toss her flaxen mane and acknowledge their salutations
with a gracious smile and a wave of the little gloved hand. The
children thought she looked like a fairy princess, and no more dreamt
that she was of the same flesh and blood as themselves than did Miss
Rhoda herself. Then came lunch, and more often than not some excuse for
getting off the hour's lessons with Fraulein before the "visiting
professors" arrived. Music master, drawing master, French master--they
each came in their turn, and Rhoda exerted herself to do her best, as
she invariably did, given the stimulus of an audience, and was praised
and flattered to her heart's desire. It was a happy life, and most
satisfactory from the girl's point of view; so that it seemed most
annoying that it should be interrupted, and by Fraulein too, who had
always been so meek and tractable! Who could have imagined when she
went home for the summer holidays that an old love would appear and
insist upon marrying her out of hand?

"But what am _I_ to do?" cried Rhoda, when the news was first received;
and then, in stern disapproval, "I'm _surprised_ at Fraulein! At her
age she should know better. She always professed to be so devoted. I
can't understand how she could make up her mind to leave me."

"It must have been a terrible trial to her, dearest," said Mrs Chester
soothingly, and she meant what she said. How could any one prefer a
fat, long-haired, spectacled lover (all Germans were fat, long-