and skirts that touched the ground.

Instinctively she felt that they resented her proximity. The biggest of
all, a pleasant-faced girl with a kind smile, said on seeing her
downcast air: "Poor little thing! Never mind. "But when they talked among
themselves they lowered their voices and cast stealthy glances at her,
to see if she were listening.

Supper over, three chairs were set out in an exposed position; the big
bell in the passage was lightly touched; everyone fetched a hymn-book,
one with music in it being handed to Miss Chapman at the piano. The door
opened to admit first Mrs. Gurley, then the Principal and his wife--a
tall, fair gentleman in a long coat, and a sweet-faced lady, who wore a
rose in her velvet dress.

"Let us sing in the hundred and fifty-seventh hymn," said the gentleman,
who had a Grecian profile and a drooping, sandy moustache; and when Miss
Chapman had played through the tune, the fifty-five, the governesses,
the lady and gentleman rose to their feet and sang, with halting
emphasis, of the Redeemer and His mercy, to Miss Chapman's
accompaniment, which was as indecisive as her manner, the left hand
dragging lamely along after the right.

"Let us read in the third chapter of the Second Epistle of Paul
to the Thessalonians."

Everyone laid her hymn-book on the table and sat down to listen to
Paul's words, which the sandy gentleman read to a continual nervous
movement of the left leg.