n to show Gerry that we're sorry for all
the things she's had to put up with this term. I think you'll find
Miss Burton in her study if you go now."

Then the Lower Fifth, subdued, but resolute in its determination, filed
out in a body and wended its way towards Miss Burton's room.

CHAPTER XXV

CLOUDS ARE ROLLED AWAY

It took some time to make Miss Burton acquainted with the true facts of
the case. But when at last the mistress realised how very unjust she
had been to the girl whose plucky conduct was the talk of the whole
school, mistresses and girls alike, she was filled with remorse, and
almost as penitent as the Lower Fifth. She hurried off then and there
to the sick-room, and made ample amends to Gerry, remitting all the bad
marks she had piled upon her unfortunate pupil during that black week,
and expressing her regret over and over again.

Sister had to intervene at last and send her away.

"You'll have my patient in a fever between you all before you've done,"
the nurse said impatiently. "There's Miss Oakley been talking to her
for a good hour, and Miss Caton and Miss Latham! There isn't anybody
going to come in here now for the rest of the evening! And I'm not
going to talk to you either, Gerry. You must just read your book and
lie quiet."

Gerry was nothing loath to do that. The strain of the past week,
indeed of the whole term, culminating in the excitement of the
afternoon, had told upon her considerably. She looked so white and
tired that it was no wonder Sister had been moved into forbidding any
more visitors. But in spite of her tiredness, and her natural sorrow
at poor Bruno's untimely fate, the girl was very happy. She curled
herself up under the rug, and lay gazing into the fire with her book in
her hand and a little smile on her lips. She had made good now in the
eyes of the school. Nobody would ever be able to call her a coward
again. And--best of everything, perhaps--Jack was to be her friend.
Gerry knew well enough what that impulsive squeeze of her hand had
meant without any explanations. Her first term at Wakehurst Priory was
nearly over. It had been rather a terrible term--Gerry gave a little
shudder as she looked back over some of its incidents. But many more
terms lay in front of her, and though they might bring troubles and
trials, yet somehow Gerry felt quite sure that none of them would be
quite so bad as the one she had just come through.

She stayed up in