work was
shirked, and a number of undesirable elements crept in.

Though Hope, to curry favour, made a great fuss of Miss Pitman to her
face, she was not loyal to her behind her back. She would often mimic
her and make fun of her to raise a laugh among the girls. Hope
encouraged the idea that a mistress was the natural enemy of her pupils,
and that they were justified in breaking rules if they could do so
safely. She did not even draw the line sometimes at a "white lie"; her
motto was, "Keep pleasant with your teacher on the surface, but please
yourself when she can't see you, and do anything you like, so long as
you're not caught".

One morning when Dorothy came into the classroom, she found Hope seated
on her desk, exhibiting a new ring to a group of admiring friends.
Dorothy paused a moment, then, as nobody moved, she protested:

"I'll thank you to clear off. I want to get to my desk."

Hope giggled.

"I'll thank you to wait a little, then. I mean to stay where I am for
the present," she said, in a mocking voice.

"But you're on my desk!"

"Well, what if I am? A warden has the right to sit upon anybody's desk
she likes."

"Oh, Hope!" sniggered the others.

"What's the good of being Warden if you can't? The post must have some
advantages."

"Hope Lawson, do you intend to clear off my desk?" asked Dorothy, with
rising temper.

"I don't know that I do, Dorothy--er--I suppose your name is
Greenfield?"

"For shame, Hope!" said Grace Russell. "I'm disgusted with you. Why
can't you move?"

Grace enforced her words by a vigorous tug, and drew Hope away to her
own place. With two flaming spots in her cheeks, Dorothy opened her
desk. She was too angry for speech. Grace's compassionate looks hurt her
almost as much as Hope's insult. She did not want pity any more than
scorn.

"I hardly know a word of the History," Hope was saying. "We had some
friends in last night, and we were all playing 'Billy-rag'. Do you know
it? It's a new game, and it's lovely. I scarcely looked at my lessons.
However, I begged a concert ticket from Father, and brought it for
Pittie. It's 'Faust', at the Town Hall, and it's supposed to be tiptop.
She'll let me off easy this morning, you'll see."

"Hope, you're not fair!" objected Grace.

"Why not? If Pittie chooses to overlook my lessons on the score of
concert tickets, why shouldn't she? She's keen on going to things. Likes
to show off her new dresses. I suppose I shall have to g