act on them."

Meeting Mrs. Whitehead half-an-hour later, as she was coming down the
stone corridor that led from the refectory, I did ask that lady
precisely the same questions that I had put to Chirper. Her frosty
glance, filled with a cold surprise, smote me even through her
spectacles; and I shrank a little, abashed at my own boldness.

"The habit of asking questions elsewhere than in the class-room should
not be encouraged in young ladies," said Mrs. Whitehead, with a sort of
prim severity. "The other young ladies are gone home; you are about to
follow their example."

"But, Mrs. Whitehead--madam," I pleaded, "I never had any other home
than Park Hill."

"More questioning, Miss Hope? Fie! Fie!"

And with a lean finger uplifted in menacing reproval, Mrs. Whitehead
sailed on her way, nor deigned me another word.

I stole out into the playground, wondering, wretched, and yet smitten
through with faint delicious thrillings of a new-found happiness such as
I had often dreamed of, but had scarcely dared hope ever to realise. I,
Janet Hope, going home! It was almost too incredible for belief. I
wandered about like one mazed--like one who, stepping suddenly out of
darkness into sunshine, is dazzled by an intolerable brightness
whichever way he turns his eyes. And yet I was wretched: for was not
Miss Chinfeather dead? And that, too, was a fact almost too incredible
for belief.

As I wandered, this autumn morning, up and down the solitary playground,
I went back in memory as far as memory would carry me, but only to find
that Miss Chinfeather and Park Hill Seminary blocked up the way. Beyond
them lay darkness and mystery. Any events in my child's life that might
have happened before my arrival at Park Hill had for me no authentic
existence. I had been part and parcel of Miss Chinfeather and the
Seminary for so long a time that I could not dissociate myself from them
even in thought. Other pupils had had holidays, and letters, and
presents, and dear ones at home of whom they often talked; but for me
there had been none of these things. I knew that I had been placed at
Park Hill when a very little girl by some, to me, mysterious and unknown
person, but further than that I knew nothing. The mistress of Park Hill
had not treated me in any way differently from her other pupils; but had
not the bills contracted on my account been punctually paid by somebody,
I am afraid that the even-handed justice on which she prided
her