e practising-room she suddenly
noticed that she had completely forgotten to change her shoes. What
was she to do? There was not time to run back for them now, as Miss
Denby had caught sight of her and she dare not beat a retreat; neither
could she go after her lesson, because the girls were strictly
forbidden upstairs when once the school bell had rung. Hazel, however,
happened to be passing down the corridor exactly at that moment, and
Linda managed to find time to gasp out: "Ask Sylvia to bring my
dancing shoes to the dressing-room," before Miss Denby said: "Come
along, Linda! What are you waiting for?" and she was obliged to enter
and shut the door.

Hazel was in no hurry to deliver her message. She waited until about
twenty-five minutes past two, then, going into the playroom, where
most of the others were collected, she strolled leisurely across to
Sylvia.

"Here, you," she said insolently, "you've got to go and fetch Linda's
dancing shoes. She's forgotten them."

"Who says I've got to go?" asked Sylvia angrily, for Hazel's tone had
roused all her worst feelings.

"I do for one!"

"Then I just shan't."

"All right! Shall I tell Linda you said you wouldn't?"

"You can if you like. I'm sure I don't care. I haven't time to race
about the school finding other people's things. It's almost half-past
now." And Sylvia marched away to the dancing class with her nose in
the air, as much out of temper as she had ever felt in her life.

It was not possible for Hazel or anyone else to fetch the shoes, as
the rules of the school inflicted dire penalties on any girl who
entered another's bedroom; so when Linda hurried into the
dressing-room a few minutes afterwards, expecting to be able to put
them on, she was much disappointed not to find them there. She hunted
about, but they were nowhere to be seen, and, afraid of being late she
was forced to go to the lesson in her ordinary, common ankle-band
slippers. She was furious, since the whole point of the tarantella lay
in the elegant way in which she must point her toes and turn a
graceful pirouette, and how was she to do so in these thick, awkward
shoes that were only meant for the hard wear and tear of everyday use!
Linda was rather proud of her dancing, and it was very annoying to
have her best steps spoilt for lack of proper slippers. She could not
venture to ask to be allowed to go and change them, because Miss Kaye
was sitting in the room, and would be sure to give