"I am going to vote against it, of course," said Alice, with a short laugh. "Well, I am on your side; I wish to say so." "You, Elma! I thought you would never oppose Gwin Harley. You are one of those people who know where their bread is buttered. Why do you take my part on this occasion?" "Because," said Elma, flushing deeply, for, hardened little sinner as she was, she had not perfect control over her emotions--"because I think Kitty richly deserves what she has got. It would never do to have this sort of thing going on at the school. But look here, Alice, if the petition is not to be sent to Miss Sherrard, we must try and have a majority on our side. Why should we not secure Matilda and Jessie Forbes?" "I never thought of that," said Alice; "but really, Elma, now I come to consider it, as far as I personally am concerned, I don't much care. It matters very little to me whether Kitty gets out of Coventry or not. I shall have to speak to her however the tide turns. You do seem strangely eager on the subject." "When I join a certain side I don't wish it to be the losing one," said Elma, as calmly as she could. "Hullo, Matilda, how out of breath you are! You need not have run so fast; you could see that we were waiting for you." "Well, you see," said Jessie Forbes, who was also panting as she came up, "we have never yet been to Harley Grove. Is it not a very grand place, Elma? Was it not kind of Gwin to ask us, and--Oh, of course, we are full of sympathy for that poor, dear Kitty Malone." "Why do you pity her?" asked Elma coldly. "Because the poor darling didn't know any better. Does it not seem silly to make such a fuss about such a trifle? I can't imagine why Miss Sherrard has been so very severe." "I don't agree with you at all," said Elma. "I think Kitty richly deserves her punishment. Of course," she added, "I don't want to be really hard on her; but unless she is made to feel shame when she does an _outre_ and extraordinary thing like she did last night, she will go on doing similar deeds, and get the whole school into disgrace." "Oh dear, yes," said Jessie, "that is perfectly true, and I should not like father to know that one of the Middleton girls had been spoken to by a rude boy in the street. I really believe he would take us both from the school." "If you think so," said Elma, "you ought to oppose the petition." "Are you going to, Elma?" "Certainly." "But you are a friend of hers, are you not?" "Of course I am. I am very fond of her." "And you oppose it for her good?" "Undoubtedly; altogether for her good." "And Miss Sherrard does know what is right," said Matilda, in a thoughtful voice. "Miss Sherrard was never a severe teacher. We all love her dearly." "And she is very fond of Kitty," said Elma. "I know that for a fact." "Yes, and so do I know it to my cost," said Alice shrugging her shoulders. She walked up the avenue as she spoke. Jessie ran after her. "What side are you going to take Alice?" she asked.