o take out the envelope which contained her replies to
the English History questions, and to glance at the momentous question
which related to the Earl of Leicester. Right or wrong, Florence felt
she must stoop to this mean action.

"After all, being included in the lucky three does not mean winning the
Scholarship," she said to herself, "and I should so like to be one of
the three. I think I will take one look; there is no one in the house
at present. I saw Kitty cross the courtyard and go in the direction of
the garden not half an hour ago. No one will know, and I shall have an
equal chance with the others; if not, I shall fail, and to fail now
would drive me mad."

Just at that moment Florence, who had approached the window in her
restless pacing up and down, saw the postboy enter the courtyard. She
ran out to meet him. He brought several letters, and amongst others
one for Florence from her mother. She took it back with her to the
schoolroom. Mrs. Aylmer's letters were never particularly cheerful,
but Florence opened it now with a slight degree of eagerness.

"I have good news for you, Florence," wrote her mother; "if you succeed
in being elected as one of the three who are to compete for Sir John
Wallis's Scholarship, I shall certainly contrive to give you a week at
Dawlish with me. Of course, if you fail it will be utterly useless,
and I should not dream of wasting the money; so try your very best, my
dear child, for there is more in this than meets the eye. It will make
the most immense difference in your life, my dear Florence, if you gain
this Scholarship, and also in the life of your affectionate mother. I
may as well add here that your Aunt Susan becomes more intolerable day
by day, and it is extremely probable that she will soon cease to pay
your school fees at all. If that is the case, my dear, I really do not
know what is to become of you, as I certainly cannot afford to meet
them. Try your best for the Scholarship, dear. If you win it write to
me immediately and I will send you the money to come home."

"What a chance!" thought Florence, as she finished reading the letter.
She folded it up and slipped it into her pocket; the next instant she
had crossed the room, had opened Kitty's desk, and taken out the
envelope with its folded sheet of paper within. She unfolded the paper
and glanced at its contents. One quick glance was sufficient. She put
back the paper into the envelope, shut Kit