s". At
the end of the recital the head mistress was just about to give her
comment, when Miss Pitman intervened.

"May I say a word, Miss Tempest? One girl has not stated her mark
correctly. Dorothy Greenfield said 'Excellent'. Now I particularly
remember that I only gave one 'Excellent' this morning, and that was not
to Dorothy."

Miss Tempest turned to Dorothy with her sternest look.

"Repeat your mark!" she ordered.

"Excellent," quavered Dorothy, sticking to her point, though she foresaw
a storm.

"Hand me your exercise!"

Dorothy fumbled in her desk with trembling fingers. She knew she was
involved in a most awkward situation. She was very pale as she passed up
the book. Miss Tempest opened it and glared first at the "Fair", written
plainly in Miss Pitman's handwriting, and then at the embarrassed face
of her pupil.

"I should not have thought you would consider it worth while to attempt
to deceive me with so palpable a falsehood, Dorothy Greenfield!" she
said scornfully.

Dorothy turned all colours. For once her wits deserted her. She could
not imagine how to explain the matter. The whole thing had happened so
suddenly that there seemed no time to cudgel up a word in self-defence.
A groan of indignation passed round the class, which Miss Tempest
instantly suppressed.

"Well, what have you to say for yourself, Dorothy? Do you consider such
conduct worthy of a girl who was nominated for the Wardenship?"

"Please, Miss Tempest, may I speak?" said a voice at the back; and
Alison Clarke stood up, blushing scarlet, but determined to have her
say.

"Do you know anything about this, Alison?"

"Yes; it's my fault. We changed exercise books. The one in Dorothy's
book marked 'Fair' is really mine, and here is Dorothy's, marked
'Excellent', in my book. If you'll please look at it you'll see it's her
own writing--she makes Greek e's, and I never do."

Miss Tempest frowned, but she nevertheless examined the exercise, which
a row of eager hands passed up to her.

"Is this Dorothy Greenfield's writing, Miss Pitman?" she asked.

"It certainly has all the characteristics," admitted the Form mistress.

"Why were you writing in each other's book?" enquired Miss Tempest
sharply.

Alison's scarlet face took an even deeper shade of crimson.

"Oh--just silliness!" she murmured. "But it seemed more honest each to
take the mark we'd really gained. I couldn't give in 'Excellent' when
I'd only had 'Fair'."

"Take c