"No blubbering, please! Worst thing possible for the eyes!" commanded
Winona.
"Well, I won't! You've cheered me up tremendously. I'm glad you'll be in
the exam. room with me. I shall feel twice as brave if I know you're
there!"
The days sped on, and the very last one came. Miss Bishop and Miss
Goodson had given their final coachings and their most valuable help.
Winona and Garnet devoted the evening to mastering one or two doubtful
points.
"We've done our best, and it depends now whether we've luck in the
questions," said Winona. "I think we'd better put the books away. We
shall only muddle ourselves if we try any more to-night. Aunt Harriet
says we're not to get up at five to-morrow. We shall have quite a hard
enough day as it is."
"It wouldn't be much use," said Garnet, thrusting back the hair from her
hot forehead. "I feel I've taken in the utmost my brains can hold.
There's no room for anything more. How close the air is!"
"I believe we're going to have another storm," replied Winona, leaning
out of the widely opened window, to gaze at the lurid sky. "There's a
feeling of electricity about. Ah! There it begins!"
A vivid flash behind the tower of the old Minster was followed by a long
rumble of thunder. The atmosphere was painfully oppressive. Again a
white streak ran like a corkscrew over the clouds, and a louder peal
resounded. The storm was drawing nearer.
"Come from the window, Winona. It's not safe!"
Garnet was terribly afraid of thunder. The electricity in the air has a
powerful effect upon some temperaments, and at the first sound of
heaven's artillery she was crouching beside her bed, with her head
buried in the pillow.
"Don't be a silly ostrich!" retorted her chum. "It's quite far away yet,
and if it does come, the chances are a thousand to one against it
hitting this particular house. Why, you weren't half so scared of
Zeppelins! For goodness' sake don't get hysterical! Show some pluck!"
Winona's remarks might not be complimentary, but they were bracing.
Garnet laughed nervously, and consented to sit upon a chair. In about
half-an-hour the storm blew over, leaving a clear sky and stars.
"Come and put your head out of the window, and feel how deliciously
fresh and cool it is!" commanded Winona. "Look at that bright planet! I
think it must be Jupiter. I take it as a good omen for to-morrow. The
storm will have cleared your brain, and your star's in the ascendant.
Here's luck to the exam.!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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