ped
talking and fixed their eyes upon her. She looked pitiful enough with
the tears streaming down her cheeks, but there was not much sympathy in
the watching faces, and for the first time the growing resentment forced
itself into words.

"You have only yourself to blame," Kate said coldly. "If you had spoken
up and told all you knew about that horrible night, it would have been
forgotten by this time. I believe Mademoiselle is sorry already that
she made such a fuss, but Miss Phipps won't rest until she has found out
what she wants. If you _will_ be obstinate, you must expect to be
punished, but it's hard lines on the rest of us who have done nothing
wrong."

"And we were all so kind to you, Pixie O'Shaughnessy, and made a regular
pet of you--you know we did! We helped you like angels when you
couldn't do your lessons. I've been in this school five years, and I've
never seen a new girl made such a fuss of before. I call you an
ungrateful serpent to turn and rend us like this."

"Clowns indeed! I should think you have something else to think of than
clowns! Do you realise that thirty girls are losing their fun for three
whole weeks because you won't speak? If you had any nice feeling, you
would be too miserable for clowns."

"Oh, Pixie, I've such a smashing headache! You might tell! I was so
looking forward to a rest this afternoon. It makes the week so
dreadfully, dreadfully long when there are no holidays!"

Flora's voice was full of tears, and Pixie's miserable glance, roving
from one speaker to another, grew suddenly eager as it rested upon her,
for she was skilled in the treatment of headaches, and was never more
happy than when officiating as nurse.

"I'll lend ye my smelling-bottle. It's awful strong! Ye said yourself
the last time you smelt it ye forgot all about the pain. Will I run up
this minute, and bring it for you?"

"No, thank you!" Flora's tone was almost as cold as Kate's. "I don't
want your loans. Smelling-bottles are no good to me if I have to rack
my brains all the afternoon. You needn't pretend to be sorry, for if
you were you could soon cure me. Come along, girls, let's go upstairs!
It is no use talking to her any longer."

The girls linked arms and filed to the door, only Lottie lingering
behind to thrust her hand encouragingly through Pixie's arm. Kate,
standing near, caught the whispered words of consolation. "You shall go
to the circus in the holidays. I'll ask