ut of the classroom, and she wandered off to the
playground, where she sat down on a garden-seat, and looked over the
subject for the next examination, feeling very irritated at Miss
Briggs's dictatorial manner.

Everything 'happened' wrong that morning. Miss Briggs, as she went back
to her room, chanced to pass Miss Courteney, who had come to the door of
the classroom to speak to some one, and Miss Briggs detained her, rather
against her will, saying, 'Oh Miss Courteney, I met Vava Wharton
strolling in just now. She had been to her sister's office instead of
coming to school, so I told her it was not worth while coming in now and
disturbing the others, and that she must wait till the bell rings.'

Miss Courteney looked vexed. 'It is her best subject. I am very sorry.
Where is she?' she asked.

'In the corridor. Shall I say you will excuse her this time, and send
her to you?' inquired Miss Briggs, who saw that, though Miss Courteney
was too polite to say so, she had done wrong.

'I shall be much obliged if you will. I will speak to her about being
late,' replied Miss Courteney, much relieved. She did not want to
contradict Miss Briggs's orders; but she did not want Vava to miss her
examination.

Miss Briggs hurried down to the corridor; but of course saw no Vava. She
searched in all the empty rooms and in the large assembly room, and in
her eagerness to find Vava she actually toiled up to the studio at the
top of the building, but in vain. Then, feeling rather annoyed with Vava
for her disobedience, Miss Briggs searched the cloak-rooms; and, not
seeing the girl there, looked for her hat and coat under the name of
Wharton. They were not there, and Miss Briggs came to the conclusion
that Vava had gone off to tell her sister, her ideas of school
discipline being elementary, in Miss Briggs's opinion. There was no
opportunity of telling Miss Courteney, who was in charge of the
examination, so she waited until the bell rung; for it never occurred to
her that on this cold March morning Vava would be sitting in the
playground.

But so it was. When the bell rung Vava joined the other girls at
recreation.

'Where have you been, Vava Wharton?' demanded Miss Briggs, who was in
charge of the playground.

'Here, Miss Briggs,' replied Vava.

Miss Briggs unfortunately took her to mean on the premises. 'Do I
understand you to say that you never left the school premises?' she
demanded.

'Yes, I stayed here all the time till