ou my mother's letter?"

"She did not."

"Or leave it on her desk or something? Can't you find out?"

"I certainly cannot search my Principal's correspondence," returned Miss
Norton very stiffly. "It is one of the rules of Brackenfield that no
pupil is allowed out without a special exeat, and in the circumstances I
have no power to grant this."

"But--oh, I say! The girls will be so awfully disappointed!"

"I am sorry, but it cannot be helped."

"Well, I suppose I may see them here for half an hour?"

"That also is out of the question. Our rule is: 'No visitors except
parents, unless by special permission'."

"But the permission is in my mother's letter."

"Neither letter nor permission was handed to me by Mrs. Morrison."

"Excuse me, when I've come all this way, surely I may see my sisters?"

"I have said already that it is impossible," replied Miss Norton,
rising. "I am in charge of the school to-day, and must do my duty. Your
sisters will be returning home next Tuesday, after which you can make
your own arrangements for meeting them. While they are under my care I
do not allow visitors."

Miss Norton was a martinet where school rules were concerned, and the
Brackenfield code was strict. She knew that Mrs. Morrison would at least
have allowed Marjorie and Dona to see their brother in the drawing-room,
but in the absence of instructions to that effect she chose to keep to
the letter of the law and refuse all male visitors.

Larry, with an effort, kept his temper. He was extremely annoyed and
disappointed, but he did not forget that he was a gentleman.

"Then I will not trouble you further, and must apologize for
interrupting you," he said stiffly but courteously. "I am afraid I have
trespassed upon your time."

"Please do not mention it," answered Miss Norton with equal politeness.

They parted on terms of icy civility. Larry, however, was not to be
entirely defeated. He had only left Haileybury six months before, and
there was still much of the schoolboy in him. He was determined to find
a way to see his sisters. He paused a moment on the steps after the maid
had shown him out, and, taking a notebook from his pocket, hastily
scribbled a few lines, then, noticing some girls with hockey sticks
crossing the quadrangle, he went up to them, and, handing the note to
the one whose looks he considered the most encouraging, said:

"May I ask you to be so kind as to give this to my sister, Dona
Anderson? It'