sed; but, as to anything
further, you must be a man, and speak up for yourself."

"I will, you may rely," I said, determined to bring matters to an issue
ere the week should close.

Before Thursday came, however, I knew that Miss Pimpernell had kept her
word in interceding for me, and that Min had quite forgiven me.

She was "friends with me once more," I was assured; for, when I passed
her window the next evening, in fear and trembling lest she should still
be hostile and not recognise me, she bowed and smiled to me in her own
old sweet way, as she used to do before my fit of jealousy and our
consequent estrangement.

Oh! how ardently I looked forwards to the approaching school treat. I
was then resolved to learn whether she loved me or no. "Faint heart
never won fair lady," as Miss Pimpernell had told me; I would deserve
her reproach no longer.

Thursday arrived at length, and with it the school treat.

This summer "outing" had been an institution of annual celebration by
our vicar long before it became a habit of London clergymen to send
columns of appeals to the benevolent in the daily papers to assist the
poor children of their respective congregations towards having "a day's
pleasuring in the country."

Our vicar, however, was not one of those who thus "passed round the hat"
to strange laity! No, he made _his_ institution entirely a self-
supporting one; and his school-children had the additional pleasure of
knowing, that, they assisted in paying for their treat themselves,
earning it in advance, with no thanks to "charity," or strangers, all
the same.

For some two months beforehand, the little ones used to deposit a weekly
penny for this special purpose; and, when their contributions were
thought to nearly amount to a shilling each, the fund was held
sufficient to carry out the long-looked-for treat--although, of course,
the vicar and other kindly-disposed persons would largely help to make
the affair go off with the eclat and dignity suited to the occasion, all
of which resulted in its being turned into a general picnic for the
parish.

The anniversary of the fete this year, was celebrated with even grander
effect than any former ones had been, imposing and satisfactory though
they were held at the time to be. Richmond Park was the scene of our
festivities; and, not only had the vicar caused to be provided a couple
of roomy four-horse omnibuses, the leading one of which sported a band,
to accomm