"Go back to your study and your Virgil," she said. "Don't waste your
precious time."

He looked exactly as though some one had whipped him, but he took her at
her word and returned to his study.

The music was henceforth a great feature in the establishment. Miss
Tredgold enhanced its value by being chary in regard to it. She only
played as a special treat. She would by no means give them the great
pleasure of her singing and playing every night.

"When you have all had a good day I will sing and play to you," she said
to the girls; "but when you neglect your work, or are idle and careless,
or cross and sulky, I don't intend to amuse you in the evenings. I was
brought up on a stricter plan than the girls of the present day, and I
mean while I am with you to bring you up in the same way. I prefer it to
the lax way in which young people are now reared."

For a time Miss Tredgold's plans went well. Then there came a day of
rebellion. Pauline was the first to openly rebel against Aunt Sophia.
There came a morning when Pauline absolutely refused to learn her
lessons. She was a stoutly built, determined-looking little girl, very
dark in complexion and in eyes and hair. She would probably be a handsome
woman by-and-by, but now she was plain, with a somewhat sallow face,
heavy black brows, and eyes that could scowl when anything annoyed her.
She was the next eldest to Verena, and was thirteen years of age. Her
birthday would be due in a fortnight. Even at The Dales birthdays were
considered auspicious events. There was always some sort of present, even
though it was worth very little in itself, given by each member of the
family to the possessor of the birthday. Mr. Dale generally gave this
happy person a whole shilling. He presented the shilling with great pomp,
and invariably made the same speech:

"God bless you, my dear. May you have many happy returns of the day. And
now for goodness' sake don't detain me any longer."

A shilling was considered by the Dale girls as valuable as a sovereign
would be to girls in happier circumstances. It was eked out to its
furthest dimensions, and was as a rule spent on good things to eat. Now,
under Miss Tredgold's reign, Pauline's birthday would be a much more
important event. Miss Tredgold had long ago taken Verena, Briar, Patty,
Josephine, and Adelaide into her confidence. Pauline knew quite well that
she was talked about. She knew when, the girls retired into corners that
she was