there was a map hung up over the black board, where they were in turn
to point to the places mentioned. Before Gillian began reading, the
date, and something about the former lesson was required to be told by
the children, and it came quite readily, Valetta especially declaring
that she did love Pyrrhus, which the others seemed to think very bad
taste.

Dolores knew nothing about ancient history, and thought it foolish to
study anything that did not tell in a Cambridge examination; but she
supposed they knew no better down there; and when it came to her turn
to read, she mangled the names so, that Val burst out laughing when she
spoke of A-pious-Claudius. Lady Merrifield hushed this at once, and
the girl read in a bewildered manner, and as one affronted. She saw he
aunt looking at her piece of hemming, which, to say the truth, would
not have done credit to Primrose, and the recollection came across her
of all the oppressed orphans who had been made household drudges, so
that her reading did not become more intelligible. As the clock struck
one, a warning gong was heard; everybody jumped up, the work was folded
away, and with the obeisance at the door, Gillian and Val ran away.

Mysie stayed a little longer, it being her turn to tidy the room; and
Lady Merrifield said to Dolores--

'I must teach you how to hold your needle tomorrow, my dear.'

'I hate work,' responded Dolores.

'Val does not like it,' said her aunt; 'nor indeed did I at your age;
but one cannot be an independent woman without being able to take care
of one's own clothes, so I resolved that these children should learn