holiday was over. Already everybody was
beginning to think about Christmas and to make plans for the term-end
festivities. Lesbia, sitting at the supper table in Denham Terrace, gave
Paul and Minnie a highly-coloured account of the entertainment to which
they would be invited.

"You'll love it. It's to be the best thing we've ever given at Kingfield
High," she concluded.

For a moment there was an embarrassing silence. Minnie was looking at
Paul beseechingly. He cleared his throat.

"Perhaps we'd really better tell her now," he remarked.

"Tell me what?" asked Lesbia.

"Well, the fact of the matter is we shall none of us be here for
Christmas. By the time your song-drama--or whatever you call it--comes
off, we shall all be many thousands of miles away. We're going out to
Canada."

"To Canada!" gasped Lesbia, utterly overwhelmed. "All of us?"

"Yes, the whole family. I've accepted an appointment there, and we start
in a fortnight."

"Isn't it--isn't it very sudden?" faltered Lesbia.

"Paul knew some months ago, dear," said Minnie, "and our passages have
been booked quite a long time."

"And you never told me!" Lesbia's voice was most reproachful.

"We were afraid it would unsettle you at school if you knew you were
leaving. I spoke to Miss Tatham about telling you, and she quite agreed
with us."

"But do you mean I'm to leave Kingfield and the High School and
everything in a fortnight?" asked Lesbia, her eyes suddenly swimming
with tears.

"Come, cheer up!" said Paul. "You'll like Canada well enough when you
get there. Girls have rather a good time I believe."

Later on, when Lesbia was alone with Minnie, she heard fuller
particulars.

"Paul is very glad to get the appointment. It's so difficult to make any
headway in England nowadays. There seems more scope in a new country.
It'll be a good thing for the children too, when they begin to grow up.
England's overcrowded. They'll have better prospects in Canada."

"What's the place like? Are there great forests and lakes and rivers and
Red Indians?" asked Lesbia, calling to mind any stories she had read of
the Dominion.

"No, Belleville's not at all romantic. It's quite a new city, and it's
on the plains, not near any forests or rivers, I believe."

"O-o-h!" (disappointedly). "Are Nurse and Mrs. Carter going with us?"

"Nurse doesn't want to leave England. She's to be married next year. And
Mrs. Carter is too old to emigrate, and has two sons settle