for
Linda Marshall, and as the two shared a bedroom it seemed only natural
that they should be bosom friends. Linda was very willing to consider
Sylvia as her special comrade; they were almost the same age, and had
so many likes and dislikes in common that there was not the least
occasion to quarrel over anything, and they were never so happy as
when they were alone together. That, however, Hazel Prestbury was by
no means ready to allow. Although she slept with Connie Camden she had
hitherto considered Linda her friend, and was very indignant that
Sylvia should have stepped between them.

Hazel was a girl about whom Miss Kaye often felt some uneasiness. The
eldest in her class, she was also old for her age, and she had brought
a good many notions to school with her that were not at all in
accordance with the simple ideas which were encouraged at
Heathercliffe House. She thought far more of dress and position than
she had any business to do, criticized the other girls' clothing,
compared the value of her birthday presents with those of her
schoolmates, and was apt to boast of her abundant pocket money. She
was also not always as open and truthful as might have been wished,
and though it could never be exactly defined, she somehow kept up a
slight spirit of hostility against the mistresses, and would never
respond heartily to any kindness from headquarters. Miss Kaye thought
she was not altogether a wise friend for Linda, who, being a whole
year younger, was likely to be easily influenced, and it was on this
account that she had not allowed the two to share a bedroom.

Linda was an affectionate little girl; she did not notice the faults
in Hazel's character, and would have been delighted to include both
her companions in a triple friendship. But that did not content
either, and though Sylvia had the advantage at morning and evening,
Hazel generally triumphed during the day.

Sylvia would watch with jealous eyes as the pair walked arm in arm
down the avenue or played draughts together in the recreation hour.
She tried to console herself with reading, but somehow the books did
not seem nearly so absorbing as they had done at home, and she sat
with one ear open to hear what Linda was saying. She did not care to
make friends with any of the other girls, though Nina Forster
proffered a few advances, and Connie Camden was always "hail fellow
well met" with everybody.

One wet afternoon the Third Class and some of the membe