d tautology, unduly long sentences, and
various other mistakes to which she was prone, and flattered herself at
the end of the half-hour that she had turned out a decidedly creditable
piece of work. She blotted it with great satisfaction, and by rather
officiously collecting the books of several girls who sat near, and
placing hers in the middle of the pile, she managed to hand it to the
monitress without showing the incriminating "Alison Clarke" on the
cover. There was a singing class from 12 to 12.45, during which time
Miss Pitman always did her corrections. When the girls rushed up to the
classroom at a quarter to one, the books were finished and placed ready
upon the table. Alison and Dorothy each seized her own, and retired
together to a corner of the room.

"You've got 'Fair' in my book," whispered Dorothy. "Now let me see what
I've got in yours."

"'Excellent'!"

"Fiddlesticks!"

"Well, look for yourself."

"It actually is! Oh! Miss Pitman would never have given me 'Excellent'
if she'd known it was mine. I feel I've scored no end. Doesn't it show
her up?"

"Rather!"

"Excellent" was the very highest mark possible, and it was rarely given
at the College. To receive it was certainly a great honour, and showed
the merit of the exercise. The two conspirators thought they had been
extremely clever, and congratulated themselves upon the success of their
little plot; but it was to have a sequel which neither of them expected
in the least. Miss Tempest taught literature throughout the school, and
though she delegated the correction of exercises to assistant
mistresses, she occasionally made some enquiry about the written portion
of the work. That afternoon she entered the Upper Fourth classroom.

"I wish to know the results of your literature exercises," she
announced. "I myself set the paper this week, and I want to see what
standard you have reached individually. Will each girl in turn repeat
her mark, beginning with Noelle Kennedy?"

Dorothy was in a quandary: she did not know what she ought to say. Must
she give the mark that was written in her book, or the one she had
really gained? Justice seemed to point to the latter, so when it came to
her turn she answered "Excellent". Alison, taking the cue from her,
answered "Fair". Evidently the exercises had not reached a very high
standard of merit that day. There were a few "Goods", a great many
"Moderates" and "Fairs", and even one or two "Weaks" and "Faultie