what she felt-- a very stiff and unformed specimen of girlhood. There
was a great lump in her throat, brought there by mingled nervousness
and home-sickness, but that very fact only made her manner icy and
repellent.

"Forgive me," said Nancy, blushing all over her rosy face. "I thought
perhaps you might like to know one or two things as you are quite
strange here. My name is Banister. I have a room in the same corridor,
but quite at the other end. You must come and visit me presently. Oh,
has no one lit your fire? Wouldn't you like one? The evenings are
turning so chilly now, and a fire in one's room gives one a home-like
feeling, doesn't it? Shall I light it for you?"

"No, no, thank you," said Priscilla stiffly. She longed to rush at
Nancy and smother her with kisses, but she could only stand in the
middle of her room, helpless and awkward, held in a terrible bondage
of shyness.

Nancy drew back a step, chilled in spite of herself.

"I see there are matches on the chimney-piece," she said, "so you can
light the fire yourself whenever you like. The gong that will sound in
a minute will be for dinner, and Miss Heath always likes us to be
punctual for that meal. It does not matter about any other. Do you
think you can find your way to the dining-hall or shall I come and
fetch you?"

"No-- thank you. I-- I can manage."

"But I'll come with pleasure if you like me to."