a deep breath.

"Go on some more," she said. "I _like_ listening to you."

"Do _you_ like her?" said William.

"No. She's awful _greedy_. Did you know she was awful _greedy_?"

"I can _b'lieve_ it," said William. "I can b'lieve _anything_ of
anyone wot talks in that squeaky voice."

"Jus' watch her when she's eatin' cakes--she goes on eatin' and eatin'
and eatin'."

"She'll bust an' die one day then," prophesied William solemnly, "an'
_I_ shan't be sorry."

"But she'll look ever so beautiful when she's a May Queen."

"You'd look nicer," said William.

Bettine's small pale face flamed.

"Oh _no_," she said.

"Would you like to be a May Queen?"

"Oh, _yes_," she said.

"Um," said William, and returned to the discomfiture of Evangeline
Fish by his steady concentrated scowl.

The next day he had the opportunity of watching her eating cakes. They
met at the birthday party of a mutual classmate, and Evangeline Fish
took her stand by the table and consumed cakes with a perseverance and
determination worthy of a nobler cause. William accorded her a certain
grudging admiration. Not once did she falter or faint. Iced cakes,
cream cakes, pastries melted away before her and never did she lose
her ethereal angelic appearance. Tight golden ringlets, blue eyes,
faintly flushed cheeks, vivid pale blue dress remained immaculate and
unruffled, and still she ate cakes. William watched her in amazement,
forgetting even to scowl at her. Her capacity for cakes exceeded even
William's, and his was no mean one.

They had a rehearsal of the Maypole dance and crowning the next day.

[Illustration: WILLIAM ACCORDED HER A CERTAIN GRUDGING ADMIRATION.
ICED CAKES, CREAM CAKES, PASTRIES MELTED AWAY BEFORE HER.]

"I want William Brown to hold the queen's train," said Miss Dewhurst.

"_Me?_" ejaculated William in horror. "D'you mean _me_?"

"Yes, dear. It's a great honour to be asked to hold little Queen
Evangeline's train. I'm sure you feel very proud. You must be her
little courtier."

"Huh!" said William, transferring his scowl to Miss Dewhurst.

Evangeline beamed. She wanted William's admiration. William was the
only boy in the form who was not her slave. She smiled at William
sweetly.

"I'm not _good_ at holdin' trains," said William. "I don't _like_
holdin' trains. I've never bin _taught_ 'bout holdin' trains. I might
do it wrong on the day an' spoil it all. I shan't like to spoil it
all," he added virtuously.

"Oh