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"I can't take a high and mighty view of anything just now," said Florence; "I am cross, and that's a fact. I wish I wasn't going to the feast to-night. If it were not for the chance of being one of the lucky three in the Scholarship competition I wouldn't appear on the scenes at all, I vow I would not, with that horrid bit of cottony cherry-colored ribbon yes, I vow I wouldn't. Why, Kitty, how you have stained your dress; you must have knelt on a cherry when you were picking them just now in the orchard."
"So I have; what a pity!" said Kitty. She glanced down at the deep red stain, and then added, "I'll run upstairs presently and wash it out."
"Well, don't catch cold, whatever you do. But stay, won't you first hear me my English History questions?"
Kitty immediately complied. Yes, Florence was stupid; she did not half know her questions; her replies were wide of the mark. Kitty felt at first distressed and then very determined.
"Look here, Florence," she said, "this will never do; you
must work through that portion of English History all the afternoon, and I will help you to the very best of my ability. I happen to know the time of Queen Elizabeth so well, for it was a favorite time with my father. He always loved those old stories of the great worthies who lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Yes, I'll help you. Shall we read these chapters of history together this afternoon?"
"I cannot, I cannot," said Florence. "My head aches and everything seems hopeless. Why, if that is so, Kitty, I shan't even have a chance of being one of the lucky three."
"Oh, yes, you will you must," said Kitty. "Half of the pleasure of the competition would be lost if you and I were not to work together during the holidays."
"Well, there is something in that," said Florence, brightening as she spoke. "I forgot when I spoke so dismally that you, too, were to spend the holidays here. By the way, has your father sailed yet?"
"On Monday last," said Kitty, in a very low voice. She turned her head aside as she spoke.
"I believe you are the bravest girl in the world," said Florence, stoutly; "but there, you are a great deal too good for me. I wish you were naughty sometimes, such as you used to be, daring and a little defiant and a little indifferent to rules, but you are so changed since the Scholarship has come to the fore. Does it mean a great deal to you, Kitty?"
"I can't talk of it," said Kitty, "I'd rather not; we are both to try for it; I believe it means a great deal to us both."
"It means an immensity to me," said Florence.
"Then it is not fair for us to talk it over when we are both going to try our hardest to win it, are we not?"
"If that is the case why do you help me with my English History?"
"Because I should like you to be one of the lucky three."
"Are you certain? Although I don't know this history very well, I shall be a dangerous rival, that I promise."
"I don't care; I mean to win if I can, but I should like to compete with you," said Kitty, stoutly.
At that moment the sounds of wheels in the avenue was heard, and a moment or two afterwards Mademoiselle Le Brun entered the school-room and put a little parcel into Florence's hand.
"There, my dear," she said.
Florence let it lie just where it was.
"Thank you," she answered; "you did your best?"
"Yes, dear, I did my best."
The governess left the room without even glancing at Kitty. Kitty felt herself coloring; she bent low, allowing her curly hair to fall over her face and forehead.
A moment later there came an exclamation from Florence.
"Oh, I say, Kitty, what does this mean look, do look!"
Kitty looked up. The flush had left her face now, and it was cool and composed as usual.
"Why, Florry," she exclaimed, "she has got you three yards, and it is absolutely beautiful, satiny and smooth, and not a scrap of cotton in the ribbon, and such a sweet color. What does it mean?"
"Kitty, do you understand?" said Florence.
"I am so glad you have got it," said Kitty, in a quiet voice; "yes, it is lovely ribbon; perhaps they had a cheap sale or something."
"Perhaps," said Florence, "but all the same I don't believe this ribbon could have been bought for twopence a yard. I must speak to mademoiselle; she could not oh, no, no, that is impossible mademoiselle is very poor and stingy but what does it mean?"
"It means that you are going to wear cherry-colored ribbons to-night, doesn't it?" said Kitty, "and now cheer up, do, Florry, and work away at your history. I must run off now to wash my hands before dinner."
CHAPTER VIII. THE LETTER
"My dears," she said, "I won't keep you a minute, but I have just had a letter from Sir John Wallis, and he wishes me to say that he would like the girls who are to compete for the preliminary examination for the Scholarship to write their answers to the English History questions. He has sent over the questions in this envelope, and you can all read them, and you are to write your answers in advance, and fold them up and put them into envelopes for him to open and read to-night. I believe there are ten questions, but his rule is that you are none of you to be helped by any book in the answers, and that no one girl is to assist another. That is all, my dears; you can go into the school-room and get the matter through in less than an hour if you like. And now hurry away, for there is no time to lose. I will have the question pinned up in the school-room for you all to see."