Chinky, who was coming primly down.

"O ki, John!" she greeted her, being in a vast good-humour. "What do
you look so black for?"

"Dunno. Why do you never walk with me nowadays, Laura? I say, you know
about that ring? You haven't forgotten?"

"Course not. When am I to get it? It never turns up." Her eyes
glittered as she asked, for she foresaw a further link in her chain.
"Soon, now?"

Chinky nodded mysteriously. "Pretty soon. And you promise faithfully
never to take it off?"

"But it must be a NICE one ... with a red stone in it. And listen,
Chink, no one must ever know it was you who gave it me."

"All right, I swear. You're a darling to say you'll wear it," and
putting her arm round Laura's shoulders, Chinky gave her a hearty kiss.

This was more than Laura had bargained for;--she freed herself,
ungraciously. "Oh, don't!--now mind, a red stone, and for the third
finger of the left hand."

"Yes. And Laura, I've thought of something to put inside. SEMPER EADEM
... do you like that, Laura?"

"It'll do.--Look out, there's old Day!" and leaving Chinky standing,
she ran down the corridor to her room.

XVIII.

DER VERBRECHER IST HAUFIG GENUG SEINER TAT NICHT GEWACHSEN.

NIETZSCHE

For a month or more, Laura fed like a honeybee on the sweets of
success. And throve--even to the blindest eye. What had hitherto been
lacking was now hers: the admiration and applause of her circle. And
never was a child so spurred and uplifted by praise as Laura. Without
it, her nature tended to be wary and unproductive; and those in touch
with her, had they wished to make the most of her, would no more have
stinted with the necessary incentive, that one stints a delicate rose
tree in aids to growth. Laura could swallow praise in large doses,
without becoming over-sure. Under the present stimulus she sat top in a
couple of classes, grew slightly ruddier in face, and much less
shrinking in manner.

"Call her back at once and make her shut that door," cried Miss Day
thickly, from behind one of the long, dining-hall tables, on which were
ranged stacks and piles of clean linen. She had been on early duty
since six o'clock.

The pupil-teacher in attendance stepped obediently into the passage;
and Laura returned.

"Doors are made to be shut, Laura Rambotham, I'd have you remember
that!" fumed Miss Day in the same indistinct voice: she was in the grip
of a heavy cold, which had not been improved by the draughts of the
h