diversion, and decided to bicycle across the park to call upon the
Vicar's daughter the self-same Ella Mason who had been her informant on
so many important points. Ella would be indeed overcome to hear that
Rhoda herself was to be a "Hurst" girl, and there would be an increased
interest in hearing afresh those odd pieces of information which had
fallen from the cousin's lips.

She felt a thrill of relief on hearing that her friend was at home, and
in finding her alone in the morning-room, which looked so bare and
colourless to eyes accustomed to the splendours of the Chase. Something
of the same contrast existed between the two girls themselves, for while
Rhoda sat glowing pink and white after her ride, Ella's cheeks were as
pale as her dress, and her eyes almost as colourless as the washed-out
ribbon round her waist. She was not a beauty by any means, but
unaffectedly loving and unselfish, rejoicing in her friend's news,
though it would deprive her of a favourite companion, and she was all
anxiety to help and encourage. She knitted her brow to remember all
that the cousin had said of Hurst Manor, wishing only that she had
listened with more attention to those pearls of wisdom.

"Yes, she said that they did a great deal of Latin. All the girls learn
it, and it seems to be looked on as one of the most important subjects.
They translate Horace and Livy and all kinds of learned books."

"Humph! I shan't!" declared Rhoda coolly. "I don't approve of Latin
for girls. It's silly. Of course, if you intend to teach, or be a
doctor, or anything like that, it may be useful, but for ordinary stop-
at-home girls it's nonsense. What use would Latin be to _me_, I should
like to know? I shall take modern languages instead. I can read and
write French fluently, though it doesn't come quite so easy to speak it,
and German, of course, is second nature after jabbering with Fraulein
all these years. I should _think_ in German if I would allow myself,
but I won't. I don't think it is patriotic. There is not very much
that any one can teach me of French or German!"

"Then what is the use of studying them any more?" inquired Ella, aptly
enough; but Rhoda was not a whit discomposed.

"My dear, it is ever so much pleasanter doing things that you
understand! The first stages are such a grind. Well, what next? What
other subjects are important?"

"Mathematics. Some of the girls are awfully clever, and are ever so far
on