on in the head, she sat down to tea in a
cheerful and even triumphant spirit.

Pennie, too, had a great deal to think over after she had written to
Nancy, and made a careful entry in her diary. It had been such a nice
afternoon, and it came just when she had been feeling a little
discontented and tired of Nearminster. There were the dissolving views,
too.

Did Miss Unity mean to take her to the Institute on Friday? Pennie had
been to very few entertainments. The circus at Easney, and the fair at
Cheddington made up her experience, and she thought she should like to
go very much. The address would not be very interesting if it were like
the bishop's sermon, but the pictures fading one into the other had a
beautiful sound; and then it was to be in the evening, which would
involve stopping up late, and this was in itself agreeable and unusual.
She went to sleep with this on her mind, and it was the first thing she
thought of in the morning.

When she entered the breakfast-room her godmother was reading a note.

"Pennie, my dear," she said, "here is a very kind invitation from the
deanery. We are asked to go there to tea, and afterwards to see the
dissolving views at the Institute."

Pennie sat down very soberly at the table. All the pleasure to be got
out of the dissolving views would be spoilt if they were to be preceded
by such a trial.

"You will like that, won't you?" said Miss Unity anxiously.

"I'd much rather be going alone with you," said Pennie.

"That's very nice of you," answered Miss Unity with a gratified smile;
"but I expect some of the Merridew girls are going too, and I know it is
natural for you to enjoy being with your young friends."

"They're not exactly friends, you see," said Pennie thoughtfully;
"although, of course, I do know them, because I see them every week at
the dancing. But there's nothing we care to talk about."

"That will come in time," said Miss Unity encouragingly.

Pennie did not contradict her, but she felt sure in her own mind that it
would never come, and she now looked forward to Friday with very mixed
feelings. "I only hope I shall have tea in the school-room," she said
to herself, "because then I sha'n't see the dean."

But things turned out unfortunately, for when Miss Unity and Pennie, in
their best dresses, arrived on Friday evening at the deanery they were
both shown into the drawing-room. There were a good many guests
assembled, and two of the girls we