o complete indifference to all her
surroundings. Annie was full of a subject which excited her very much:
she had suddenly discovered that she wanted to give Mrs. Willis a
present, and she wished to know if any of the girls would like to join
her.

"I will give her the present this day week," said excitable Annie. "I
have quite made up my mind. Will any one join me?"

"But there is nothing special about this day week, Annie," said Miss
Temple. "It will neither be Mrs. Willis' birthday, nor Christmas Day, nor
New Year's Day, nor Easter Day. Next Wednesday will be just like any
other Wednesday. Why should we make Mrs. Willis a present?"

"Oh, because she looks as if she wanted one, poor dear. I thought she
looked sad this morning; her eyes drooped and her mouth was down at the
corners. I am sure she's wanting something from us all by now, just to
show that we love her, you know."

"Pshaw!" here burst from Hester's lips.

"Why do you say that?" said Annie, turning round with her bright eyes
flashing. "You've no right to be so contemptuous when I speak about
our--our head-mistress. Oh, Cecil," she continued, "do let us give her a
little surprise--some spring flowers, or something just to show her that
we love her."

"But _you_ don't love her," said Hester, stoutly.

Here was throwing down the gauntlet with a vengeance! Annie sprang to her
feet and confronted Hester with a whole torrent of angry words. Hester
firmly maintained her position. She said over and over again that love
proved itself by deeds, not by words; that if Annie learned her lessons,
and obeyed the school rules, she would prove her affection for Mrs.
Willis far more than by empty protestations. Hester's words were true,
but they were uttered in an unkind spirit, and the very flavor of truth
which they possessed caused them to enter Annie's heart and to wound her
deeply. She turned, not red, but very white, and her large and lovely
eyes grew misty with unshed tears.

"You are cruel," she gasped, rather than spoke, and then she pushed aside
the curtains of Cecil's compartment and walked out of the play-room.

There was a dead silence among the three girls when she left them.
Hester's heart was still hot, and she was still inclined to maintain her
own position, and to believe she had done right in speaking in so severe
a tone to Annie. But even she had been made a little uneasy by the look
of deep suffering which had suddenly transformed Annie's charm