debating society, and watch their prowess at hockey
with never-failing admiration. She had not yet dared to speak to any of
the big girls; but they seemed so clever and important in her eyes, that
she felt pleased if she might only stand near while they were talking,
and proud indeed if she happened to be included in the same team with
some of them.

Naturally, her new life was not without its troubles. After Miss
Dawson's easy methods, she found it needed all her energies to keep up
to the high standard required by Miss Harper. She worked her hardest
both in school hours and preparation, but even with her best efforts it
was not always possible to win approbation from her teacher, and her
most careful exercises were often returned with ruthlessly severe
comments. Her companions in No. 7 were also uncongenial. They were
themselves members of the Upper Fourth, and though they now spoke to
her, and were to a certain degree more civil, they were not really nice
and friendly, and often made her feel she was not wanted in the bedroom.
They were willing enough to accept any of the kind little services
which she was generally ready to perform, allowed her to tidy the room,
to throw open the windows, to go to the bathroom to fetch the large can
of hot water which was to be divided among the four basins; indeed, they
began to depend so much upon her, that if a button needed stitching on
hastily, a blouse fastening at the back, or a lost article must be
searched for, they all said "Ask Patty", without the least hesitation,
knowing that she would not refuse, and never seemed too busy to help
other people. Of her cousin Patty saw little, and that little was
unfortunately far from pleasant. Muriel seemed determined to show that
although they might both be in the same school, and even in the same
class, she did not intend to be compromised by their relationship. She
was a very vain girl, who thought much of her parents' wealth and
position. She considered Patty's advent would not bring her any great
credit among the set of companions whom she had chosen, whose standard
consisted mainly of pretty clothes and worldly possessions, and she was
annoyed that her father should have wished to give her cousin the same
advantages as herself. She lost no opportunity of slighting Patty, never
by any chance sat next to her, always chose the opposite side in a game,
and on many small occasions made herself actively disagreeable. Patty
bore it as p