y at him as they
drove away together, but the admiration evidently was on one side, for
he frowned, and said critically--

"You--er--look pale! You have lost your colour!"

"I've been working hard."

"You have grown thinner!"

"Games, I suppose. We are always running about."

"Er--what has become of your hair?"

Rhoda first stared, and then laughed.

"Oh, my pigtail! I forgot that you hadn't seen it. I hated it too, at
first, but I've grown accustomed to it, and find it very comfortable.
It worries me now to have my hair blowing about and tickling my face."

"All the same, my dear, you had better untie it before we get home. We
will lunch at the Station Hotel, and you can comb it out there. It will
give the mater a shock if she sees you looking so changed. She would
hardly know you, I think."

The tone of disapproval hit hard, and to hide her chagrin Rhoda adopted
an air of indifference.

"Oh, we don't trouble ourselves about appearances at Hurst. So long as
we are comfortable we are satisfied. If a girl worries to dress up, we
chaff her unmercifully."

"The more foolish you! I hope and pray, Rhoda, that you are not going
to develop into one of the strong-minded young women one meets nowadays,
who seem to spend their lives in trying to be as much like men as
possible. It will be a mistake if you do. Be as learned as you like,
and as sensible as you like, and as hardy as you like--that is all to
the good--but, for pity's sake, be pretty too, and dainty, and feminine!
We don't want to have all our womenkind swallowed up in athletes,
warranted to be `hard kicks,' or `useful forwards!' We want them to
play the ornamental part in life, and be pretty, and sweet, and
attractive."

"Ha, ha, yes! That's the man's point of view!" quoth Rhoda loftily, and
her brother smiled good-naturedly as the cab stopped before the hotel.

"It is, my dear, that's very certain; and as you will probably meet a
good many men as you go through life, you might as well study their
opinion. It may be regrettable, but it is certainly true, that you will
have more influence if you are agreeable to look at. You would have
more influence over _me_ at this moment if you would kindly walk
upstairs and make yourself look--er--a little more like your old self!"

"Oh, I don't mind. Anything to please you!" said Rhoda carelessly, and
strode upstairs after the chambermaid, smiling to herself in lofty
superiority at Harold's "da