womanhood. To her the little children ran to be comforted; and to walk
with her in the garden was considered an honour and a pleasure that even
the Reverend Mother was glad to participate in.

Lady Cecilia Cullen sat next to Alice, and her high shoulders and long
face and pathetic eyes drew attention to her shoulders--they were a
little wry, the right seemingly higher than the left. Her eyes were on
Alice, and it was plain that she wished the other girls away, and that
her nature was delicate, sensitive, obscure, if not a little queer. At
home her elder sisters complained that an ordinary look or gesture often
shocked her, and so deeply that she would remain for hours sitting apart
refusing all consolation; and it was true that a spot on the tablecloth
or presence of one repellent to her was sufficient to extinguish a
delight or an appetite.

Violet Scully occupied the other end of the garden bench. She was very
thin, but withal elegantly made. Her face was neat and delicate, and it
was set with light blue eyes; and when she was not changing her place
restlessly, or looking round as if she fancied someone was approaching,
when she was still (which was seldom), a rigidity of feature and an
almost complete want of bosom gave her the appearance of a convalescent
boy.

If May Gould, who stood at the back, her hand leaning affectionately on
Alice's shoulder, had been three inches taller, she would have been
classed a fine figure, but her features were too massive for her height.
Her hair was not of an inherited red. It was the shade of red that is
only seen in the children of dark-haired parents. In great coils it
rolled over the dimpled cream of her neck, and with the exception of
Alice, May was the cleverest girl in the school. For public inspection