l of her own delayed promotion to the Upper School, persisted in
regarding her as an "intruding kid", and Edith could not forgive her
intimacy with Netta Goodwin. Manifold small slights and snubs fell to
Gwen's share, and though she affected to make light of them, they
hurt all the same. She knew that under happier auspices she might have
been friendly with Hilda Browne, Iris Watson, Louise Mawson, and
several others of whom Father would have approved, and whom, with his
entire sanction, she might have invited occasionally to the Parsonage.
She was aware that she was in the worst set in the Form, and that not
one of her new chums would pass muster if judged according to her home
standards.

"I can't ever ask them, that's all," she declared. "Annie's giggles
would give Beatrice a fit, Millicent puts on side horribly, Minna
would probably make fun of everything, Claire Harris is absolutely
vulgar, and as for Netta--no! Dad mustn't see Netta on any account."

Another not unexpected trouble had fallen to Gwen's share. As a member
of the Upper Fourth she had, at the beginning of the term, been chosen
Junior Basket-ball Captain, to arrange Lower School team games and
matches, and she had worked very hard to get things going. On her
promotion, however, it had been a greatly discussed point whether she
should resign or finish the season. Some of the Upper Fourth, knowing
how much was due to Gwen's exertions, had been anxious for her to
retain her post, but on the whole the popular verdict was against her.
To Gwen's disgust, her old friends, Eve Dawkins and Alma Richardson,
were the loudest in her disfavour, and it was chiefly owing to their
eloquence that she was requested to resign. She had been proud of her
captaincy, and to give it up was a wrench. There seemed nothing at all
in her new Form to compensate for the loss, and sometimes she wished
heartily that she had never been moved.

The present excitement in the Fifth was a "Literary and Dramatic
Club", the members of which intended to act a piece at Christmas. It
was a rather cliquish society, worked with more favour than fairness,
and was principally among those girls whose homes lay near to the
school.

"They stay behind at four o'clock to rehearse," explained Netta. "It's
really only among about half a dozen."

"Are you in it?" queried Gwen.

"I, my dear child? Hardly! You don't imagine the high and mighty Iris
Watson would ask yours truly? Saints and sinners don