eager to sit at the feet of the pretty new
mistress, and bring her offerings of chocolates and flowers; for five
long days there was always a crowd, always a hum and babble of voices,
but at the end of the week came a dead calm.

On the first Saturday of the term Miss Farnborough had invited the new
French mistress to tea, and had been all that was friendly and
encouraging; but since that time no word had passed between them that
was not strictly concerned with the work in hand, and Claire realised
that as one out of sixteen mistresses she could not hope for frequent
invitations.

On one Sunday the Gym. mistress had offered her company for a walk, and
there the list of hospitalities ceased. No invitations came from that
friend of Mrs Fanshawe's who was so fond of girls who were working for
themselves. Claire had hardly expected it, but she was disappointed all
the same. A longing was growing within her to sit again in a pretty,
daintily-appointed room, and talk about something else than time-tables,
and irregular verbs, and the Association of Assistant Mistresses which,
amalgamated with the Association of Assistant Masters and the Teachers'
Guild, were labouring to obtain a settled scale of salaries, and that
great safeguard, desired above all others, a pension on retirement!

On this particular Friday evening the longing was so strong that she had
deliberately gone out of her way to try to gain an invitation by walking
home with a certain Flora Ross in the sixth form, who was the most
ardent of her admirers. Flora lived in a cheerful-looking house about a
quarter of a mile from the school, and every morning hung over the gate
waiting for the chance occasions when her beloved Miss Gifford
approached alone, and she could have the felicity of accompanying her
for the rest of the way. On these occasions she invariably turned to
wave her hand to a plump, smiling mother who stood at a bay window
waving in return. An upper window was barred with brass rods, against
which two little flaxen heads bobbed up and down. Both the house and
its inmates had a cheerful wholesome air, which made a strong appeal to
the heart of the lonely girl, and this Friday afternoon, meeting Flora
waiting in the corridor, she had accepted her companionship on the way
home with a lurking hope that when the green gate was reached, she would
be invited to come inside.

Alas! no such thought seemed to enter Flora's brain. She gazed
adoringly