n ever. But here her decision was absolutely justifiable; not
one of the girls would have cared to accept the unenviable role which
they had wished to thrust upon her. Perhaps for that very reason they
were all the more annoyed at her action. She was received with black
looks when she re-entered the classroom. Elspeth Frazer whispered
something to a friend, and turned away. Gwen could not quite hear, but
it sounded painfully like "beast!"

"Have they settled it?" she asked Netta.

"Yes; Elspeth and Hilda drew lots, and Hilda won. I'm fearfully sorry
she did. Elspeth says it's all your fault, and that you ought to have
voted for her when you'd made such a fuss about the clique."

"Would you have given a casting vote yourself?"

"Well, no; but if you'd only stayed and voted by ballot like everyone
else, then nobody would have known who'd given the odd one. It was
most stupid of you to rush away. You're rather an idiot, Gwen
Gascoyne!"

"'_Et tu, Brute!_ Then fall, Caesar!' I'm like the old man and his ass
in AEsop; I seem to end by pleasing nobody."

"Do you wish to compare yourself with the old man or the quadruped, my
child? The latter's the more apt, certainly!"

"Oh, good night!" said Gwen, who was getting the worst of it "I wish
sometimes I'd never come into your wretched Form."

"You'd be far more at home among the Juniors!" snapped Netta, rather
out of temper.

A few days after this was the Rodenhurst Annual Distribution of
Prizes. It was always held in the beginning of November, rather an
unusual date, to be sure, but Miss Roscoe found it convenient in many
ways to have it in the middle of the autumn term. It gave plenty of
time to receive examiners' reports, and to chronicle successes in the
July examinations, but on the other hand it did not interfere with
Christmas celebrations.

The function took place in the Town Hall at Stedburgh, and there was
invariably a large gathering of parents and friends. To the whole
school it seemed an important occasion, and both Gwen and Lesbia were
full of excitement when the afternoon arrived.

"Not that I need alarm myself that I shall be called upon to walk up
and receive a prize!" said Lesbia. "Never got one in my life, and
never shall!"

"You might get the Sewing or the Holiday Competitions," said Gwen,
trying to be encouraging.

"No fear! One genius is enough in a family! I'll go prepared to clap
you!"

All the girls wore white dresses and blue hair ribb