"Well, was it likely now that I would stay in that close, stifling schoolroom when the sun was shining and there was a bird on a tree outside singing to me as loud as ever it could? And I had made an arrangement with Gwin Harley to walk up and down with her during recess, and the darling girl had put off two others for me, and was waiting for me. Don't you think it was about natural that I should disobey Miss Worrick, whom I never cared twopence for, and go out to Gwin Harley, whom I love? Of course I knew I was disobedient, and I supposed she would punish me; but I didn't think she would have me up for you to lecture me." "You behaved very badly indeed," said Miss Sherrard; "and you are now talking in an extremely silly way." Kitty bowed her head; the light went out of her eyes, her face turned pale. "What punishment will you invent to torture me with?" she said at last in a low voice. "I suppose I have done wrong, and I am willing to take the punishment. What is it?" "Of course you must be punished," said the head-mistress; "it would never do to allow disobedience is the school. You see, Kitty--" "Oh, bless you, bless you, for calling me by my Christian name," muttered Kitty Malone. "Kitty, I am inclined to take you into my confidence." "Are you, indeed? I declare you're an old dear!" "You have come to school to learn, have you not?" "Not a bit of it," answered Kitty; "I came to school to please the old dad." "Your father?" "Yes, the dear old dad, the dearest, the best in the world." "But what did he send you here for?" "Well, I suppose to get knowledge and manners. Ah, bad luck to them! and I suppose also to tame me down a bit. He said he never could manage that at Castle Malone." Miss Sherrard once more gave that faint involuntary smile. "Your father sent you here," she said, "to put you under discipline. While you are in this school, my dear girl, you must obey me, and also the other teachers. If you are disobedient the other girls will be disobedient, and then where should we all be?" "It would be a lark!" muttered Kitty, with sparkling eyes. "Don't interrupt, and please listen. I should be very sorry to send you back to Castle Malone in disgrace. I should be sorry to have to write to your father in order to tell him that his Kitty, whom he loves--his bright, pretty, lovable daughter--can never learn manners nor accomplishments, nor be tamed in the very least. There are from six to seven hundred girls in this school, who all now know about your very daring act of disobedience. Were I not to punish you they would be astonished, and some of them might even go to the length of copying your behavior. You see this for yourself, don't you?" "Oh, I see it plain enough," answered Kitty; "plain as a pikestaff. What's the punishment to be?" Miss Sherrard hesitated. Once more she looked at Kitty; Kitty's eyes were as bright as stars.