eraldine, isn't it, who `fits' my clothes? Well,
Geraldine shall have my blue silk, and the fawn jacket, and the blouses,
and the grey dress. If the arm-holes stick into her as much as they do
into me, she will wish I had never been invented. She can have my best
hat, too, if she wants it. I hate it, and at `Hurst' you never wear
anything but sailors', with the school colours. There is a blue house,
and a pink, and a green, and a yellow, and a red; that's the way they
arrange in all big schools, and I only hope and pray it won't be my fate
to be yellow, or _what_ an image I'll look! Other things being equal,
Mum dear, kindly say you think the blue house would be best for my
health and morals. I want to live _in_, you understand, not _out_--
that's one point I have quite decided."

"In what, dearest? Out of what? I don't understand what you mean."

"In school itself. There are three houses in the school building and
three in the grounds, and, of course, if you live `out' you have ten
minutes' walk over to classes, whatever the weather may be. I should
object to shivering across the first thing in the morning in rain and
snow and getting all splashed and blown. No one can call me a coddle,
but I _do_ like comfort, and it would be a dreadful fag--"

"I should think so, indeed; most risky! I wouldn't hear of it for you.
If you go at all you must live in, and have a comfortable room, with a
fire in cold weather."

"Oh, well; I don't know if you can expect that. We mustn't be too
exacting. You will look after my clothes at once, mother, won't you?
for there will be so much to get. I want things nice, you know! I
should like the girls to see that I had decent belongings. I love
having all the _little_ things complete and dainty. I think girls ought
to be particular about them. It's a sign of refinement. I can't endure
shabby things round me."

"Of course not, darling; and there's no reason why you should. Write
down a list of what you want, so that we shan't forget anything when we
are in town. You shall have all you need; but, oh! dear me, I don't
know how shall I live when you have gone. I shall break my heart
without you!" And Mrs Chester's tears once more rolled down her
cheeks. It seemed to her at this moment that the greatest trouble which
her happy life had known was this projected parting from her beloved
daughter.

CHAPTER THREE.

ANTICIPATIONS.

Two days later Mr and Mrs Cheste