A Patriotic Schoolgirl

ou

St. Elgiva's entered the sitting-room in a state o

n to say you ran up and asked him under Frank

t dear. He didn't seem to mind at all, rather liked it, in

eedn't cock-a-doodle so dreadfully

o cares? We've got our autographs, and that'

Lennox, one of the sinners. "Frankie was worse than rat

few order marks. It was well worth it, in

o carry any question to the Principal was an extreme measure. The Empress liked her teachers to be able to manage their girls on their own authority, and, knowing this, they generally co

klin took no notice of them. She was sitting amongst the Juniors, and did not even look in their direction. They took care not to do anything which should attract attention to themselves, and the meal passed over in safety. Preparation followed immediately. Marjorie found the image of the aviator and Miss Franklin's outraged expression kept obtruding themselves through her studies, causing sad confusion amongst French irregular verbs, and driving the principal battles of the Civil Wars into the sidew

ame down for supper, and again Miss Franklin took no notice of

ing to overlook i

at we did anything so very

he didn't get an autograph f

ll hear another word ab

They sat and sewed while a mistress read a book aloud to them. Marjorie was embroidering a nightdress case in ribbon-work. She used a frame, and enjoyed pulling her ribbons through into semblance of little pink roses and blue forget-me-nots. In contrast with French ve

ing-baskets were put away, and the girl

orie's mind, it was to congratulate herself that the trouble had blown o

stomary hymn followed. At its close, instead of dismissing the girls to t

d it is possible that there may be among them some spirit of rivalry towards Brackenfield. The inhabitants or visitors at Whitecliffe will naturally notice any party of girls who are proceeding in line through the town, they will note their school hats, observe their conduct, and judge accordingly the establishment from which they come. Every girl when on parade has the reputation of Brackenfield in her keeping. So strong has been the spirit not only of loyalty to the school, but of innate good breeding, that up to this day our traditions have never yet been broken. I say sorrowfully up till to-day, for this very afternoo

elves the centre for more than two hundred pairs of eyes, yearned for the earth to y

fetch the autograph she secured," continued th

the school sat and waited unti

er her slip of paper with the magic signature "Henri Raoul Devereux". The Pr

inion of such conduct. I feel that any imposition I can give them is inadequate, and that their own sense of shame should be sufficient punishment; yet, in order to enforce the lesson, I shall expect each to recite ten lines of poetry to her House Mistress

d out for special condemnation and held up to obloquy before all the school was terrible. In spite of herself hot tears were in her eyes. She tried to bli

all because those wretched girls from 'Hope Hall' and 'The Birches' were walking along the promenade

ours up!" moaned Gertrude. "I call

anything so very dreadful!" choked Rose.

oetry before break

riving, and it's the match with Holcombe. I'm just the unluckiest girl in the who

utmost enthusiasm. She keenly enjoyed the practices, and was deeply interested in the matches played by the school team. The event on Saturday afternoon was considered to be of special importance, for Brackenfield was to play the F

were as the laws of the Medes and Persians that cannot be altered, so she was policed to the St. Elgiv

ime," said the mistress briefly. "If not,

ny special haste in beginning her unwelcome work. Miss Norton glared at her, but made no further remark, and with a glance at the clock left the room. All the

all round the edges of the pages, I wonder what would happen? I'd love to do it, and put Captain Devereux's picture at the end! I expect I'd get expelled if I did. Oh dear! It's a weary wor

r pen in the

ind to have few things to des

go to the hockey match. I wish his shade would come and help me! They didn't play hockey in his days, so it would be a new exper

vocation, however, had not called up the ghostly countenance of the defunct Sir Francis to fac

dow!" ordered

a was standing at the top of a ladder

"so I've commandeered his ladder. I haven't broken any ru

r, and members of other houses were strictly forbidden to mou

," continued the latter. "Steady o

get into a jinky little row i

his moment watching the team for all she

Marjorie aggrievedly. "It's

, give me a pen, and I'll copy some of the stuff out for you. Our wr

you're missing th

ot keen on hockey like you ar

o alternate pages we shan't each know where to begin, a

to get each line of print exactly into a line of exercise paper. There are twenty blue lines on each sheet-very well then, you

h of genius about yo

e essay, which worked out at six pages of exercise paper. Each counted out her own portion, then scribbled away as fast as was consistent with keeping the size of her caligraphy within due bou

e trump, old girl!

t, so that no trace of her little adventure should be left behind. The two girls hurried off

resulting in a splendid shot by Hilda Alworthy. When the whistle blew for time the score stood six goals to three, Brackenfield leading, and Marjorie joined with enthusiasm in the cheers. She loitered a little in the field, and came back among the last. Miss Norton, who

to co