t, and would then, perhaps,
introduce her to a few special companions. She could not mean absolutely
to ignore her, and it was absurd to take offence needlessly.

"I'm her own relation, and she surely can't forget that," thought Patty.
"She's busy now, but she'll be nicer to me later on."

Each bedroom at The Priory was divided into four cubicles by means of
curtains hung on brass rods, and each cubicle contained its own little
bed, chest of drawers, washstand, and small wardrobe. Patty was lucky
enough to have a window that looked out over the playing fields,
otherwise her division was exactly the same as the rest. The three other
occupants appeared to have already unpacked: their nightdress cases were
laid on their beds, their sponges on their washstands, various photo
frames, books, and ornaments adorned their dressing-tables, and their
curtains were drawn back, as was the rule when the cubicles were not
occupied, to allow a free current of air through the room. Patty
unlocked her box, and set to work to arrange her various possessions,
placing the photo of the family group, which had been a parting present
from home, in a prominent position, and trying to stifle the longing to
see all the dear, familiar faces again. The nightdress case, which she
had thought so beautiful when she was packing, looked quite plain and
ordinary by the side of the three elaborately worked ones on the other
beds. She had certainly nothing so dainty as the pale-pink, quilted silk
dressing-gown that she could see hanging on a peg behind the door, nor
did she possess cut-glass scent bottles, such as stood on the
dressing-table in the cubicle opposite; nevertheless Patty put her
things away with a certain pride of ownership, and when all was neatly
finished, glanced round her new quarters with much satisfaction. It was
scarcely six o'clock, and supper was not until seven, so she decided to
go downstairs again on the chance of finding Muriel, who by this time
must surely have finished her own unpacking. She waited in the hall for
a few minutes, not quite knowing what to do, until a mistress, hurrying
by, noticed her standing there, and directed her to the recreation room.
Here a number of girls appeared to be collected: a pair of bosom friends
occupied one window, and five pigtails in close proximity took up
another; by the empty fire grate a group of four stood talking
photography with a short fat girl in spectacles, seated on the edge of
th