Part 22 (1/2)

Angela looked from one to the other and shook her head mournfully. 'I expect it was,' she said. 'It sounds exactly like it.'

'Oh, yes,' continued Jean, cheerfully. 'I _know_, because a cousin of mine had something that was catching once, and she nearly lost her sight through it, and she's had to wear spectacles ever since, and her eyes are all red and s.h.i.+ny, and she looks a hideous sight. I expect that was scarlet fever too.'

Angela shuddered, and quite closed her eyes that time. Her two comforters looked at each other expressively.

'Poor Angela!' said Jean, stroking her forehead. 'It's awful hard lines that you should be the one to catch it.'

'Oh, never mind about that,' answered the victim, meekly. 'I'm glad it's me and not you.'

'Lots of people don't die, you know,' added Barbara, taking hold of her hand and waggling it up and down in a way that was intended to express sympathy.

'N--no,' said Angela, with some reluctance; 'but lots of people do.

Anyhow, I hope I shall be brave, whatever happens.' And she stifled a sigh.

'Of course you will,' said Jean, warmly. '_We_ know that!'

'If--if this should be the last time we are together before they separate us,' continued Angela, opening her eyes again and looking up at them appealingly, 'you _will_ remember, won't you, that----'

The door opened and put an abrupt stop to her pathetic last request. The triumvirate, still clasping hands affectionately, looked round and met the astonished gaze of the head-mistress.

'What's the matter with Angela?' she inquired briskly.

Angela closed her eyes again hastily. The other two prepared valiantly to defend her position.

'She's got a headache and a sore throat, and she's feverish,' answered Jean, glibly.

'She thinks she's got it,' added Babs, coming straight to the point.

They fully expected Miss Finlayson to do something startling to show her concern at the approaching peril of Angela; but Miss Finlayson merely smiled.

'Oh, so that's what she thinks, is it?' she observed. 'And may I ask if that is why you have chosen this particular moment to hang over her more closely than usual?'

The triumvirate loosed hands, and Miss Finlayson came and looked very sharply at the unconscious features of the sufferer; then she suddenly whipped a thermometer out of her pocket and into the open mouth before her. Angela sat up in dismay, and tried to protest; but Miss Finlayson smiled again and pressed her gently back.

'You mustn't speak, or we shall not be able to find out your temperature,'

she said, and Angela put on a resigned air, and suffered in silence.

'Now,' continued the head-mistress, pleasantly, 'we can have a few minutes' conversation, while we are waiting to discover whether Angela has scarlet fever or not. To begin with, I want to ask you if you remembered, when you went out of bounds last Thursday, that you were abusing the trust I had placed in you? Recollect!--I do not keep policemen at every corner to spy over you when you are left to yourselves, but I do put you on your honour not to do anything you know I have forbidden. Did you think of this, Jean?'

Jean reddened and looked down.

'No, I didn't,' she blurted out. 'I forgot all about the bounds, at first, and I only thought you would like us to feed the poor, and it was such a grand opportunity. And then, afterwards----'

'Yes--afterwards?' said Miss Finlayson, encouragingly, as Jean hesitated.

'Afterwards, when I saw that woman look like she did, I never thought of you or anything,' she muttered with an effort; and she was very red indeed by the time she had finished.

Miss Finlayson took her hand and held it between her own, and then turned to Barbara.