s. She conducted
her removal, therefore, with less dissatisfaction than she had at first
anticipated.

"I call you lucky," declared Lettice Talbot. "I only wish I could go
instead. Everyone on our landing is envying you. I shall be rather
sorry to lose Paddy--I think she's a joke."

"Especially as we're to have Flossie Taylor instead," said Pauline
Reynolds. "It's a poor exchange. I can't stand Flossie; she gives
herself airs."

"She needn't put them on with us," observed Maisie. "I've had a quarrel
with her already. She was actually trying to make Lettice pick up her
balls for her at tennis!"

"Lettice always picks up yours," suggested Pauline.

"That's a totally different matter," declared Maisie.

"I wish Miss Maitland would have let Flossie join the Hammond-Smiths,"
said Lettice. "I can't imagine why she is making such changes. Oh,
here's Honor! Do you know, Paddy, you have got notice to quit?--in
fact, you're going to be evicted from No. 13."

Honor had already been informed of the fact by the house-mistress
herself. She appeared to take the news with the utmost sangfroid.

"I don't care in the least which room I have," she replied. "All I
bargain for is a room-mate who doesn't use 'cold pig' in the mornings.
I haven't forgotten your wet sponge."

"You ungrateful Paddy! It was for your good."

"If you call me Paddy I shall call you Salad!"

"You can if you like. It's rather a pretty name, and has a juicy,
succulent sound about it."

"Make haste, Honor, and clear your drawers," grunted Maisie. "Here's
Flossie Taylor coming down the passage with her arms full of
under-linen."

No. 8, like all other bedrooms at St. Chad's, was divided by a curtain
that could be drawn at pleasure. At present, however, this was pulled
aside for the mutual convenience of the occupants of both cubicles. To
Janie the burning question to be decided was the possession of the
bookcase. She tried to imagine that it was nearer her bed than Honor's,
but justice forced her to come to the conclusion that it stood exactly
in the middle, between the two. With heroic self-denial she offered her
companion the first choice of its shelves before she put away her own
little library.

"But I haven't brought any books with me," declared Honor. "You're
welcome to the bookcase, so far as I'm concerned. We can take turns at
this luxury," sinking into the basket-chair.

"Don't you ever read?"

"Very seldom."

Janie went on arranging her