oom.

'It may make the end of the senior competition more interesting to you,'
she began, 'if you know how the competitors stand now. So far, Ruth
Oliver is a little ahead of the others----' Even the solemnity of the
occasion could not stay the murmur of astonishment that rose in the
anteroom at this announcement; but Miss Finlayson waited for it to
subside, and finished her speech. 'She and Margaret Hulme are very
close, for they are exactly even as regards gymnastics; but Margaret lost
a little over the wand figure. So the prize will greatly depend upon the
result of the high jump. At the same time, I feel sure you will agree with
me that the way in which the other competitors have worked has greatly
added to our enjoyment, and deserves much of our applause.'

A good many downcast faces in the anteroom cheered up as Miss Finlayson
made her ingenious reference to the unsuccessful ones, and so contrived
to make them feel that the applause at the end of her speech was really
for them. Then the whole senior division filed into the gymnasium for
the last time, to the slow music of Herr Scales, who had just had a polite
rebuke from Hurly-Burly, and was forcing himself desperately to keep the
soft pedal down.

The children never forgot the tense feeling of the next few minutes,
the thrill that ran through every girl in Wootton Beeches when Ruth
Oliver knocked down the rope at four feet four, the answering thrill that
followed it when she cleared it at four feet six, the surprise they went
through when Margaret also cleared it at four feet six, but knocked
it down at four feet eight; and last of all, the enthusiasm of the
spectators when Ruth just managed to clear it at four feet eight and
Margaret still knocked it down after two tries at it. The people, who
clapped and smiled so good-naturedly, little knew that the exciting
contest they had just witnessed had upset the traditions of two and a half
years and proclaimed the triumph of the most retiring girl in the school.
They only thought how modern and delightful it was for girls to play
the same games as boys; and Mrs. Oliver beamed on every one from the
platform, and decided that Ruth should stay another year at school
instead of leaving at midsummer. But the anteroom was overwhelmed.

'It's--impossible!' gasped Jean, when the news travelled down to the
triumvirate. 'Why, Margaret can clear four feet ten _easily_! I've seen
her.'

'And Ruth has never done more than fo