It was the last week in October that the Franklin Shakespearean Company came to Kingfield. Their advent had been well advertised by placards on the hoardings, and by handbills which were left at people's houses or sent by post. They were a famous company and were always sure of a welcome in whichever town they arrived on tour. Lesbia, going from school to catch her tram-car, saw the large notice of their performances being posted by a bill-sticker, and stopped to look. _Hamlet_, _The Merchant of Venice_, _As You Like It_, _Much Ado About Nothing_, _The Tempest_, _Macbeth_. What would she not give to see a single one of them? Lesbia had never been to a Shakespeare play in her life. She had studied _Julius Cæsar_ and _The Merchant of Venice_ carefully with the notes at school, and had read many of the other plays as part of her preparation for the literature class. To see all the familiar characters actually on the stage would be bliss indeed. But there did not seem the slightest chance that such an ambition would be gratified. Lesbia had very little pocket-money. The Pattersons did not grumble at keeping her, but they seldom expended anything extra on her behalf. She never liked to ask for such indulgences as entertainments. She mentioned, indeed, that the Franklin Shakespeare Company was coming to Kingfield, and how splendid it would be to see them, but nobody took the hint. Kitty and Joan were going that week to a concert and to a performance of _Trilby_, and had no other evenings disengaged, even if they had offered to escort Lesbia. Mrs. Patterson considered that schoolgirls should stick to their lessons during term-time, and keep all such dissipations as theatres for the holidays. "It's no use," thought Lesbia dismally. "I know heaps of other girls will be going, but it won't be my luck. I wasn't born lucky. I may wear as many mascots as I like, but the fact remains." Lesbia was not quite as ill-used by fate as she made out, for she received and accepted an invitation to have tea with Marion on Saturday afternoon. "I've asked my two cousins," said her chum, "that will just make four of us, and we'll play that new game of cards I learnt at the Graingers'. It's absolutely priceless. We screamed over it. I never had such fun in my life. You'll be _sure_ to come? Don't go and get a cold or a toothache or anything stupid." "Rather not! You'll see me turning up on Saturday whatever happens." Lesbia was really looking forward to the visit. It seemed some slight compensation for missing the theatre. Moreover, she always enjoyed herself at the Morwoods' house. On Wednesday Calla greeted her in the cloakroom and drew her aside. "Doing anything on Saturday afternoon, old sport?" she asked confidentially. "Yes, I'm going out to tea." "Oh, what a pity! Can't you put it off?" "I'm afraid not. Why?" "Well, we've got a ticket to spare for the _matinée_, and I was going to ask you to come with us." "_The Merchant of Venice?_" gasped Lesbia.