rt she would
gladly have been there. She had many times longed to join them, and was
even now only kept back by her pride, and the conviction that it would
degrade her to place herself in the ranks and acknowledge Minnie
Kimberly as her head and leader as the other girls cheerfully did,
although Minnie herself had placed Mabel in the position of command, and
loyally insisted on her approval being necessary to the most trivial
arrangement.

On this morning it happened that Mona was in early, and was obliged to
listen to the happy chatter of the girls as they discussed their plans
with a zest and good-humour such as seldom prevails when a company of
girls have under discussion a subject on which each has her individual
and separate ideas, and is anxious to see them carried out.

Mona sat apart, feeling very much annoyed with herself for caring at all
about "charity organizations," and yet caring all the more, listening
eagerly to every different suggestion--rejecting this one in her own
mind, and approving that, or improving it, as the case might be, by
tacking on some neat little amendment evolved from her own clever brain.

All of a sudden, these several proceedings were brought to a standstill
by the entrance of the Principal and teachers rather sharper to the
minute than was the usual custom of the school.

Immediately after the opening exercises, Miss Marsden produced from an
envelope in her hand, a large blue paper, and announced that she had
that morning received the result of the examination, and would now read
it to the school, as it was probably a matter of interest to all, though
only two of their number had taken part in it, and might possibly act as
a stimulus to others to follow their example.

She then proceeded to read the list at the head of which stood Mona
Cameron, followed by Minnie Kimberly--a circumstance which was simply
the fulfilment of the general expectation; but the announcement of
Mona's name as the taker of the Latin prize was a matter of astonishment
to all, and rather a blow to most of them, as it had been confidently
expected that Minnie would take it, and to no one did it afford greater
surprise than to Mona herself. The flush of triumph on her face deepened
for a moment on hearing this second piece of news, but it faded quickly
as she remembered Minnie's translation.

"Prize-taker or no prize-taker," she muttered to herself, "Minnie's
translation was worth a dozen of mine." And her