up for her not having a father and
mother of her own. It's funny her little charm should be just the same
as yours, though, isn't it? Did this one come from China too? I should
have liked a story about it."

"Some other day, perhaps," said Dr. Severn, rising hastily and walking
to the window. "Let us go out and find the boys. The sky looks so
threatening, I'm afraid there's a thunderstorm brewing, and I had
better send you home before it begins."

"We must take off our wonderful clothes, then," said Linda, beginning
to untwist the scarves and put away the Turkish slippers. "Goodbye,
dear sandalwood box! How I love the smell of you!"

"Keep the box if you like," said Dr. Severn briefly, "and you, Sylvia,
the bottle of attar. I don't want either. Come, children, I'm sorry to
hurry you, but I don't want you to be caught in the rain. Get your
hats, and Mr. Richards will see you home on his way to Craigwen."

CHAPTER XVII

The Sketching Class

Linda and Sylvia had a great many experiences to relate to the other
girls when they returned to Heathercliffe House, and as they were the
only ones in the class who had been away for the few days, they were
able to enjoy a position of much importance until their adventures
were all told. Nothing particular seemed to have happened during their
absence. Brenda had broken her bedroom jug, Connie had fallen against
the mowing machine and her forehead was ornamented with large strips
of sticking plaster which did not improve her personal appearance, and
Dolly had locked the door of the book cupboard in the Kindergarten
room and lost the key, much to Miss Coleman's wrath. Otherwise there
were no events worth chronicling.

"Unless you'd like to hear that I've made a fresh copy of my Greek
history notes," said Marian. "They're most beautifully neat, and
underlined with red ink. I'm sure Miss Kaye'll say they're better than
anybody else's."

But as both Linda and Sylvia declared that did not interest them in
the least, Marian's piece of information fell rather flat.

All the girls seemed to find it a little difficult to settle into
harness again after the short holiday. The weather was warm, and in
spite of open windows the schoolrooms were apt to feel close and
stuffy. Miss Arkwright tried the plan of holding her class under the
big hawthorn in the garden, but she found that a bird singing in the
tree, a bumble bee settling on a flower, or a butterfly flitting
across the l