e forward Mr Asplin studied Peggy with a special interest,
and a few evenings later a conversation took place among the young
people which confirmed him in his conclusion as to her possibilities.
Lessons were over for the day, and girls and boys were amusing
themselves in the drawing-room, while Mr Asplin read the _Spectator_,
and his wife knitted stockings by the fire. Mellicent was embroidering
a prospective Christmas present, an occupation which engaged her leisure
hours from March to December; Esther was reading, and Peggy was supposed
to be writing a letter, but was, in reality, talking incessantly, with
her elbows planted on the table, and her face supported on her clasped
hands. She wore a bright pink frock, which gave a tinge of colour to
the pale face, her hair was unbound from the tight pigtail and tied with
a ribbon on the nape of her neck, from which it fell in smooth heavy
waves to her waist. It was one of the moments when her companions
realised with surprise that Peggy could look astonishingly pretty upon
occasion; and Oswald, from the sofa, and Max and Bob, from the opposite
side of the table, listened to her words with all the more attention on
that account.

She was discussing the heroine of a book which they had been reading in
turns, pointing out the inconsistencies in her behaviour, and
expatiating on the superior manner in which she--Mariquita--would have
behaved, had positions been reversed. Then the boys had described their
own imaginary conduct under the trying circumstances, drawing forth
peals of derisive laughter from the feminine audience; and the question
had finally drifted from "What would you do?" to "What would you be?"
with the result that each one was eager to expatiate on his own pet
schemes and ambitions.

"I should like to come out first in all England in the Local
Examinations, get my degree of M.A., and be a teacher in a large High
School," said Esther solemnly. "At Christmas and Easter I would come
home and see my friends, and in summer-time I'd go abroad and travel,
and rub up my languages. Of course, what I should like best would be to
be headmistress of Girton, but I could not expect that to come for a
good many years. I must be content to work my way up, and I shall be
quite happy wherever I am, so long as I am teaching."

"Poor old Esther! and she will wear spectacles, and black alpaca
dresses, and woollen mittens on her hands! Can't I see her!" cried Max,
throwi