it and uncoiling it about her slender wrist, and braiding it in with her
long, delicate fingers. Presently she looked up. Black, piercing eyes,
not large,--a low forehead, as low as that of Clytie in the Townley
bust,--black hair, twisted in heavy braids,--a face that one could not
help looking at for its beauty, yet that one wanted to look away from for
something in its expression, and could not for those diamond eyes. They
were fixed on the lady-teacher now. The latter turned her own away, and
let them wander over the other scholars. But they could not help coming
back again for a single glance at the wild beauty. The diamond eyes were
on her still. She turned the leaves of several of her books, as if in
search of some passage, and, when she thought she had waited long enough
to be safe, once more stole a quick look at the dark girl. The diamond
eyes were still upon her. She put her kerchief to her forehead, which
had grown slightly moist; she sighed once, almost shivered, for she felt
cold; then, following some ill-defined impulse, which she could not
resist, she left her place and went to the young girl's desk.

"What do you want of me, Elsie Venner?" It was a strange question to
put, for the girl had not signified that she wished the teacher to come
to her.

"Nothing," she said. "I thought I could make you come." The girl spoke
in a low tone, a kind of half-whisper. She did not lisp, yet her
articulation of one or two consonants was not absolutely perfect.

"Where did you get that flower, Elsie?" said Miss Darley. It was a rare
alpine flower, which was found only in one spot among the rocks of The
Mountain.

"Where it grew," said Elsie Veneer. "Take it." The teacher could not