ence.

"I can't get at Gipsy nowadays!" said Hetty Hancock to Dilys Fenton.
"She seems quite changed this term, since Poppie's made her into a kind
of pupil teacher. It's as if there were a barrier suddenly set up
between us."

"So there is--a barrier of her own making," sighed Dilys. "I've tried to
get across it myself, and I can't. The fact is, Gipsy's about the
proudest girl in the school, and she's eating her heart out at finding
herself in this queer position. She's neither exactly a pupil, nor a
teacher, nor a monitress, nor anything: indeed, Poppie treats her more
as a servant; sometimes she absolutely wipes her boots on her! Gipsy's
like a princess sold into slavery! She's taking it hardly, but she won't
let it crush her spirit. I think she feels so sore, she can't even bear
our sympathy."

"I wish we could do something," groaned Hetty.

"Nothing would be of any use, unless you could find her father. I'm
afraid, myself, he must be dead."

"She's fighting a battle against fearful odds," said Hetty, shaking her
head. "She's keeping her self-respect when most girls would have given
way utterly. I suppose there's nothing to be done but just look on and
admire her pluck. I should like to speak my mind to Poppie sometimes!"

"You'd do Gipsy no good, I'm afraid."

"I wonder Miss Edith doesn't stand up more for her."

"Miss Edith! She's a jellyfish--a crushed worm--a mere serf and vassal!
She's frightened to death of her sister, in my opinion, and hardly dare
call her soul her own. She'd be nice enough to Gipsy if Poppie'd let
her."

"Look here! I hope Gipsy's going to the Fourth Form picnic next week."

"Gracious! So do I. I hadn't thought of it. She never does go to
anything now that needs paying for. Oh, but she must! We can't have her
left out of it. Let's beard Poppie boldly in her den, offer to pay
Gipsy's share in private, and beg for her to come."

"I'm game if you are, and ready to go halves."

The Upper and Lower Fourth Forms always joined in an excursion, which
was invariably held on the first Saturday in June. They went, under the
care of Miss White, to visit some place of interest in the
neighbourhood, and the journey was made either by train or in hired
wagonettes. Tea was provided at a farmhouse or hotel, and counting the
price of admission to ruins and tips to guides, the little jaunt
generally worked out at about three or four shillings per head. All the
other Forms in the school had simi