Peggy

w the rules seemed to make little impression. Whenever she tried to fix them in her mind, there came between her and the page two melanch

reenish brown eye, what she did know seemed to evaporate from the top of her head, leaving a total blank. She stumbled and

r awake when you studied this lesson?"

lied Peggy, now tho

try it again when you wake up; or if you were awa

t one question after another, each more ingeniously contrived than the last-or so it seemed-to show what Peggy did not know. At last, in self-defence, the poor child took refuge in one simple and invariable answer: "I don't know!" So confused was she that these words were the o

worthlessness in herself, and of bitter cruelty in others. She did not even look up at the teacher, but kept her eyes fixed on her desk, and answered the few questions that meant anything to her, sullenly and unwillingly. She did try at first to follow the lesson, bu

of Macedon come fr

know," sa

t, with a pleasant smile, and checking,

Great, Philip of Macedon,-where did

y, doggedly; and at the m

, "did you ever hear what was the

am," sai

what

n't k

he year before. She laid down her pencil, an

g well, Miss Montfort," she

another word; her whole strength was needed to kee

Cortlandt went on, and the sympathy in her vo

better go and lie down for a little, and then take a turn in the f

e desperate resolve to get to her room, before she broke down altogether. Flying thus around a corner, she rushed headlong into a group of girls who were gathered around something, she could not tell what. So violent was the shock that Peggy reeled and struck her head sharply ag

ody-crouching on the floor against the wall, and their laughter, checked for an instant by Peggy's onset, broke out afresh. "Here's

hair, and eyes set too near together. She was considered a wit,

the wall, her face hidden in her hands; misery and terror were in every line of he

awkward fashion. "Did you ever see anything so exquisite? Look at the fringe, will you, and the pattern? I'm going to get

e girls. "Blanche, you ar

, was pretty Rose Barclay. "Did the ragman bring it around, or did she pick it up

I'm going to write this very night, to see if Mumma ca

hich forced her to drop the poor little arm in the blue sleeve. She was forced back against

ered with rage. "You mean, cowardly brute, how dare you? T

ole group was cowed by this sudden vision of stren

eans, Miss Montfort? I should like to know who gave you auth

cond question, and replying to the first. "If you touch tha

nche Haight. "Are you going to stand

ied the gir

d torture this poor helpless child? Shame on you! Shame on you all, every one! I'm ashamed to be in the same school with you. I-" (Here, I am sorry to say, Peggy forgot that she was a

folded arms before the shrinking child, her whole figure dilated with passion,

was the fir

Miss Montfort is too high-toned to help a classmate with her lesson, but not too high-toned to talk like

o along!" said Peggy

Haight, with a bitter sneer, "ar

oice behind he

ide the excited group, none of whom had seen or heard her,-a tall gir

he repeated. "Please go to your rooms,

whispering, the freshmen

it? Wh

junior preside

s now on the floor, with her arms around the little miserable creature, who

utes are gone, and there's nobody here but me, Peggy, and-" she glanced up at the tall girl. "Oh! w

tle soul! We must carry her to her room. Do you know where it is?

I'm in No. 18. Oh, I can carry her alone; she's

p, as Peggy lifted it. "You'd better let me help," said the

re fright and distress than actual fainting, for she soon opened her eyes, and looke

ne of that horrid crowd. I don't know who you are," she said, "but I'm ever and ever a

stened. "I heard only the end of it," she said, briefly, "but where I see Blanche Haight, I am never surprised at anything cruel or cowardly

to the sweet smile and the lovely look in the clear blue eyes. "O

ll me the Snowy Owl," she said, "bu