no end of a consolation
to you!"

While this argument was in progress, Gerry had been quietly finishing
her lines. She had now completed writing out "Chestnuts are bad for
the digestion" one hundred times, and, fastening her papers neatly
together with a paper-fastener, she glanced up at the clock. It still
wanted four minutes to five o'clock. If she was quick she would just
about have time to hand over her lines to Miss Burton before the prep
bell sounded, and, getting up from her desk, she left the classroom and
hurried along to the mistress's private study.

The bell rang just as she reached it, but, having come so far, Gerry
did not mean to turn back now. She tapped at the door. Then, as no
answer came, she tapped again, a little louder this time.

"Bother! She isn't there," she said to herself. "Never mind, though,"
she added. "I'll put them on the table where she'll be sure to see
them." And turning the handle of the door, she pushed it open to go
inside.

Then she stopped suddenly with her hand upon the door knob. Miss
Burton was there, sitting in an easy-chair drawn up beside the cheerful
little fire which was blazing away on the hearth. She was sitting in a
very dejected attitude, leaning forward with her head bowed upon her
hands--Gerry caught a momentary glimpse of her as the door opened. But
before the girl could make any apology, the mistress was sitting bolt
upright in her usual rigid position and glaring at the intruder with
all her accustomed sternness.

"What do you mean by bursting into my sitting-room in this manner?" she
inquired severely.

"I--I'm very sorry," faltered Gerry. "I did knock, twice--but nobody
answered, so I thought you must be out."

"So you came in to spy round my room in my absence, I suppose?" said
the mistress bitterly.

Gerry flushed hotly with indignation.

"No, indeed I didn't, Miss Burton!" she exclaimed. "I was bringing you
my lines, and as you weren't here I thought I'd just put them somewhere
on your table where you would be sure to see them when you came back."

"Lines. What lines?" asked the mistress as she held out her hand for
the papers. Then, as Gerry gave them to her and she caught sight of
the sentence written out so many times, the recollection of the
chestnut episode came back to her.

"Ah yes, I remember," she said. "So you _have_ condescended to do
these for me, have you? What about the other two girls, Joanna and
Nita? Are they