irls whose
desks adjoined the finished portion even crowed over those who sat near
bare walls. Miss Pratt--practical, hard-headed, inartistic Miss
Pratt--after carefully ascertaining that the work did not trespass upon
Lesbia's preparation hours, condescended to approve, though she added
grimly that she would like to see an equal amount of care and attention
put into the Latin exercises and the Algebra classes. Every rose has its
thorn, and Miss Pratt's praises were never without a sting.

Meantime the exponents of song-drama had waxed wildly enthusiastic over
the preparation of _The King of Tara_, which they intended to produce
before the school at Christmas. They had already held one or two
practices with the orchestra, and were much thrilled to hear how well
their choruses sounded in conjunction with the instruments.

"We've just been learning the music so far, but we're to begin the
acting next week," purred Marion to Lesbia, "and when we get the dresses
it will be absolutely tip-top. I wish you were in it."

"So do I," said Lesbia half wistfully, "but Miss Tatham won't let us
swop; besides I've got to finish the lotus pattern. It'll take me till
very nearly the end of the term. I have to do it so carefully. If I try
to hurry I don't get the edges neat. It's my nightmare that some day
I'll let the stencil slip and make a smudge on the wall."

"Aren't you getting tired of everlasting waterlilies?"

"No--not the teeniest, weeniest bit!"

Though the girls were perhaps keenest upon what Miss Tatham termed the
"emotional" side of her new department of self-expression, they
nevertheless found something to attract them on the "mental" side. The
Antiquities Section, for which Lesbia had put down her name, held out
fascinating attractions. As a part of its activities the girls were to
form a "Scheduling party" to visit any interesting old buildings in the
city, to write full particulars of them in notebooks, and if possible to
add photographs and drawings. Under the escort of Miss Chatham,
companies of a dozen at a time made expeditions of inspection, and were
as a rule kindly received by curators and caretakers, and were shown
over extra rooms and premises that were not generally open to the
public. The girls scribbled their notes on the spot, then wrote them out
carefully afterwards in exercise books. There was rivalry as to who
should produce the best book. Lesbia made an artistic cover for hers,
out of dull-green p