made faulty recitations, and again her teachers were
troubled by them; but Susan, having in a measure, she could hardly
understand how, been thrown off her fears, was unusually brilliant in
her classes, winning what she valued so much, words of approbation
from her teachers.

The school work went on now with much success. The holiday break-up
was fairly over. Washington's Birthday was not celebrated other than
with an abundance of little hatchets of all designs and colors. Easter
was too far away, and the _animus_ of the school was for quiet study.
Even the club held meetings less often. The two girls who had been the
chief planners of whatever mischief originated from it, Mamie Smythe
and Annie Ormond, were on their best behavior, knowing full well that
another misdeed, no matter of what character, meant expulsion.

Upon these weeks preceding the Easter vacation, Miss Ashton had
learned to rely for the best part of the year's work; so uneventfully,
with the exception of now and then some slight escapade on the part
of the pupils, the term rolled on to its spring rest.

Easter came in the early part of April this year, but the season was
backward, even snowstorms coming now and then; and fierce winds, more
like March than April, forbade any hunting for early flowers, or
looking, as so many longing eyes did, for the swelling of the bare
branches of the trees, or the first shadowing of the green tassels
that waited to show themselves to warm sunbeams.

There were no examinations in this school, or marking the grade of
scholarship; but for all that, there was never a doubt who were the
best scholars, or who would have taken the prizes if any had been
given.

A week before Easter, Marion received a letter from her Aunt Betty,
inviting her to spend the coming recess with her; but she declined it,
asking that the visit might be deferred until the long summer
vacation, when, as she was probably not to return home, she should be
very glad to come. Evidently Aunt Betty had forgotten whatever was
unpleasant in the Thanksgiving visit, and to be among the mountains
through some of the hot summer weeks seemed to Marion would be
pleasant indeed. But when the vacation came, and she found herself
with only a few other girls almost alone in the great desolated
building, she more than once regretted her decision.

A pleasant young teacher of gymnastics, Miss Orne, was left in
charge, but she was tired, and more anxious to rest th