her twelve years; and as the little witch Annie had failed
to throw any spell over her, she saw her faults far more clearly than did
her companions. There is no doubt that this brilliant, charming, and
naughty Annie had heaps of faults; she had no perseverance; she was all
passion and impulse; she could be the kindest of the kind, but from sheer
thoughtlessness and wildness she often inflicted severe pain, even on
those she loved best. Annie very nearly worshiped Mrs. Willis; she had
the most intense adoration for her, she respected her beyond any other
human being. There were moments when the impulsive and hot-headed child
felt that she could gladly lay down her life for her school-mistress.
Once the mistress was ill, and Annie curled herself up all night outside
her door, thereby breaking rules, and giving herself a severe cold; but
her passion and agony were so great that she could only be soothed by at
last stealing into the darkened room and kissing the face she loved.

"Prove your love to me, Annie, by going downstairs and keeping the school
rules as perfectly as possible," whispered the teacher.

"I will--I will never break a rule again as long as I live, if you get
better, Mrs. Willis," responded the child.

She ran downstairs with her resolves strong within her, and yet in half
an hour she was reprimanded for willful and desperate disobedience.

One day Cecil Temple had invited a select number of friends to afternoon
tea in her little drawing-room. It was the Wednesday half-holiday, and
Cecil's tea, poured into the tiniest cups and accompanied by thin wafer
biscuits, was of the most _recherche_ quality. Cecil had invited Hester
Thornton, and a tall girl who belonged to the first class and whose name
was Dora Russell, to partake of this dainty beverage. They were sitting
round the tiny tea-table, on little red stools with groups of flowers
artistically painted on them, and were all three conducting themselves in
a most ladylike and refined manner, when Annie Forest's curly head and
saucy face popped over the enclosure, and her voice said eagerly:

"Oh, may I be permitted to enter the shrine?"

"Certainly, Annie," said Cecil, in her most cordial tones. "I have got
another cup and saucer, and there is a little tea left in the tea-pot."

Annie came in, and ensconced herself cozily on the floor. It did not
matter in the least to her that Hester Thornton's brow grew dark, and
that Miss Russell suddenly froze int