An Australian Lassie

Cyril Bruce, 21; Nellie Underwood, 22;

. Then he looked very hard at the little girl at the end of the furthes

Put down your pencil and f

tantly. Her rosy face looked anxi

re head of the class. This morning I find you

d her dimpled chin hid itself beh

higher, held up her hand

asked th

he was prompti

ernly. Then his gaze went back to

l me in a clear voice how it is you went

es looked pleadingly into the master's, her white face besought him, for one se

waiting to be given a place in the class. Elizabeth knew that her disgrace was meant as a solemn warning to

fourth, and my pencil squeaked my slate and I was sent down six. Then Cyril had t

n one leg and grew red. It was an immense relief to him wh

ss. Whom do you

watching the proceedings of the first class from over the head

nd looked anxiously from little Elizabeth to

her head, "Mrs. S

er. He turned to the new boy. "John Brown," he said, "go an

en he found himself in front of the class he grew still redder, and hung hesi

disdainfully and drew he

sharp whisper, and indicated with a

. The master retired to his desk and made an entry or two i

, should be placed above her, was in her eyes the greatest injustice. A small vo

the direction of the new bo

t!" she w

nd the anger burned hott

and tell your mother!" sh

own did

the seat and gave him a sharp

o was speaking," ordered the

above Elizabeth, flushed. His name was Cyril Bruce

o myself-that's not s

rner of her pinafore into a knot. The master looked arou

you said, Elizabeth

en red, then white again, and

he master. "Stand upon the

th clambered into

and tell your mother,'" she said in a c

on passed over the

ddressing yourself?

," said the

dinner-hour and write out

again her anger against

is time she eschewed words, for the face of the master was t

the class immediately began passing slates down-o

nd nicely pointed pencil brought a fe

e the new boy, and the tell-tale girl, and all the othe

e went along, with due care working nines and eights and sevens into hi

how Cyril was progressing, and back to the board to see if a pleasant little short division sum was lurking near this obnoxious multiplication; then back

nd and give out the answer, and he gave it gladly enough-999.009-which

e right," he said, "but no

puzzle, that dinner-time saw him sitting smiling and covered with laurels at the head of the class, and Elizab

stage of its existence it had eighteen girls and twelve boys. Not half a mile distant was a public school, to the pr

egarded respectfully by the neighbourhood. So many "undesirables" we

s thirteen years, was the eldest pupil in the sch

een or so; but in some cases it called in a governess, in others it forewent its dignity and adopted the publi

rom Willoughby to the steamer-a morning trip and an evening-tide one-there and back. It was largely patronized by the C

ome, past the big iron gates of Dene Hall, a house built of grey stone in the early days of the colo

because they were three-Cyril, and Eliz

the baby class there had been Dorothea, Dorothea who was sixteen and quite old now, who wa

she too had taken the long red road to school. And after Nancy there was still a wee toddler wh