pale, freckled skin, and large white teeth. What most impressed Laura,
though, was her extraordinary gravity: she chewed away with a face as
solemn as a parson's; and then just when you were least expecting it,
came the wink. Laura was fascinated: she lay in wait for it
beforehand and was doubtful whether to feel offended by it or to laugh
at it. But at least it made her forget her mishaps, and did away with
the temptation to cry.

When, however, Mrs. Gurley had given the signal, and the fifty-five had
pushed back their chairs and set them to the table again with the same
racket as before, Laura's position was a painful one. Everybody pushed,
and talked, and laughed, in a hurry to leave the hall, and no one took
any notice of her except to stare. After some indecision, she followed
the rest through a door. Here she found herself on a verandah facing the
grounds of the school. There was a long bench, on which several people
were sitting: she took a modest seat at one end. Two of the younger
governesses looked at her and laughed, and made a remark. She saw her
room-mate, Lilith Gordon, arm in arm with a couple of companions. The
winker of the tea-table turned out to be a girl of her own age, but of a
broader make; she had fat legs, which were encased in thickly-ribbed
black stockings. As she passed the bench she left the friend she was
with, to come up to Laura and dig her in the ribs.

"DIDN'T she like her bread and butter, poor little thing?" she said.
Laura shrank from the dig, which was rough; but she could not help
smiling shyly at the girl, who looked good-natured. If only she had
stayed and talked to her! But she was off and away, her arm round a
comrade's neck.

Besides herself, there was now only an elderly governess left, who was