until the plumes which she
wore in her hair quivered all over. Mrs. Aylmer the great bridled and
glanced with her cold eyes at the proudest of the county folk, as much
as to say, "There's genius for you."

Mary Bateman's father, who sat very near Mrs. Aylmer the less, smiled
also when Florence made a correct answer, and looked with sympathy at
little Mrs. Aylmer; and when his own child Mary scored a point, as he
expressed it, a gratified flush rose to his old cheeks, and he dropped
his eyes, not caring to look at the girl whom he loved best in the
world.

But when to question after question Kitty Sharston gave a correct
reply, the _furore_ and excitement in the breasts of several of the
spectators rose to the highest pitch, for Kitty's soft voice, her
gentle answers, her correct and lady-like utterances impressed everyone
favorably. Then, too, it was an open secret that she was Sir John's
favorite; it had been whispered by more than one visitor to another
that it was on account of Kitty Sharston that this great fuss had been
made, that the Scholarship had been opened to the competition of the
school, that the girls were here, that they themselves were here--it
was all on account of this slim little girl with the big eyes and the
sweet pathetic face; and reminiscences of Sir John and Kitty's father
together side by side, shoulder to shoulder, in the trenches before
Sebastopol arose in the memory of one or two visitors present.

It was undoubtedly the wish of the guests who were assembled at Cherry
Court Park that night that Kitty should be the successful winner. And
now there were strong, more than strong hopes that such would be the
case, for although Florence's answers were full of spirit and
invariably correct, there seemed to those who listened to be a
background of substantial knowledge behind Kitty's grave remarks.

Miss Helen Dartmoor sat bolt upright, her lips firmly compressed, and a
disapproving expression in her eyes; but Miss Helen Dartmoor did not
count. It was Sir John, whose eyes followed his favorite with keener
and keener appreciation and admiration; it was Mrs. Clavering; it was
also most of the girls themselves, for beyond doubt Kitty was the
favorite. If she won the Scholarship it would give universal
satisfaction.

And now most of the examination had come to an end. The questions on
history had all been answered and duly marked by the patient professors
who had come to Cherry Court Park f