her up, and landed her unexpectedly on the ground.
Although she was repeatedly warned to keep her stick down, it seemed to
fly up of itself, and bring disgrace upon her; and then, alas! the ball
followed its example, bounded up from the ground, and landed neatly on
her cheek immediately beneath her left eye. A hideous swelling and
discolouration was the result, but after the first rush to see that the
damage was not serious, no one seemed in the least agitated about the
mishap. Erley Chase would have been convulsed with panic from attic to
cellar, but Thomasina only struck an attitude, and exclaimed, "Oh! my
eye!" and even Miss Everett smiled, more in amusement than horror, as
she cried, "In the wars already, Rhoda? You _have_ begun early." Mrs
Chester would hardly have recognised her darling in the knickerbockered
girl, with her curly mane screwed into a pigtail, her dainty feet
scuffling the ground, and her face disfigured by a lump, which changed
to a different colour with each new dawn. If she could have had a
glimpse of her during that tragic period it is certain that Rhoda's term
at "Hurst" would have been short indeed: but she was not informed of the
accident, while each letter showed an increasing interest in work and
play. Rhoda had put her back into her studies, and worked with an
almost feverish earnestness. The hours of preparation were all too
short, but she found a dozen ways of adding to their length, so that
from morning to night her brain was never allowed to rest. She grew
white and tired, and so perceptibly thin that Miss Bruce questioned her
class-mistress as to the change in her appearance.

"She is an ambitious girl," was the reply, "and does not like to feel
behind. She is working hard, and making progress; but she never
complains, or appears to feel ill."

"Oh, well, everything in moderation. See that she is not overworked.
There will be no time gained in that way," said the principal, and
forthwith banished the subject from her busy brain. There came a day,
however, half way through the term, when Rhoda collapsed, and found it
impossible to rise from her bed. Three times over she made the effort,
and three times sank back upon her pillow faint and trembling, and then
in despair she raised her voice, and wailed a feeble "Tom!"

Tom came promptly, buttoning her magenta jacket, and went through a most
professional examination.

"To the best of my judgment," she announced finally, "yo