Miss Wyatt," she expostulated in
a puzzled tone, "it was not difficult. I am sure you could pass."

Patty smiled. "I am sure I could, Miss Skelling. I don't believe you
could ask me a question that I couldn't answer. But the point is that
it's all learned since Tuesday. The doctor was laboring under a little
delusion--very natural under the circumstances--when she sent me to the
infirmary, and I spent my time there studying."

"But, Miss Wyatt, this is very unusual. I shall not know how to mark
you," Miss Skelling murmured in some distress.

"Oh, mark me zero," said Patty, cheerfully. "It doesn't matter in the
least--I know such a lot that I'll get through on the finals. Good-by;
I'm sorry to have troubled you." And she closed the door and turned
thoughtfully homeward.

"Did it pay?" asked Priscilla.

Patty laughed and murmured softly:

"'The King of France rode up the hill with full ten thousand men;
The King of France did gain the top, and then rode down again.'"

"What are you talking about?" demanded Priscilla.

"Old English," said Patty, as she sat down at her desk and commenced on
the three days' work she had missed.

VIII

The Deceased Robert

It was ten o'clock, and Patty, having just read her ethics over for the
third time without comprehending it, had announced sleepily, "I shall
have to be good by inspiration; I can't seem to grasp the rule," when a
knock sounded on the door and a maid appeared with the announcement,
"Mrs. Richards wishes to see Miss Wyatt."

"At this hour!" Patty cried in dismay. "It must be something serious.
Think, Priscilla. What have I been doing lately that would outrage the
warden sufficiently to call me up at ten o'clock? You don't suppose I'm
going to be suspended or rusticated or expelled or anything like that,
do you? I _honestly_ can't think of a thing I've done."

"It's a telegram," the maid said sympathetically.

"A telegram?" Patty's face turned pale, and she left the room without a
word.

Priscilla and Georgie sat on the couch and looked at each other with
troubled faces. All ordinary telegrams came directly to the students.
They knew that something serious must have happened to have it sent to
the warden. Georgie got up and walked around the room uncertainly.

"Shall I go away, Pris?" she asked. "I suppose Patty would rather be
alone if anything has happened. But if she's going home and has to pack
her trunk to-night, come and tell me and