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Angel lately； either of you？〃
〃Not since our last entry；〃 said Gertrude。
〃Chips；〃 said Agatha； calling to the flaxen…haired child； 〃go
upstairs to No。 6； and； if Miss Wilson isn't there； fetch me the
Recording Angel。〃
The little girl grumbled inarticulately and did not stir。
〃Chips；〃 resumed Agatha； 〃did you ever wish that you had never
been born？〃
〃Why don't you go yourself？〃 said the child pettishly； but
evidently alarmed。
〃Because；〃 continued Agatha； ignoring the question； 〃you shall
wish yourself dead and buried under the blackest flag in the coal
cellar if you don't bring me the book before I count sixteen。
Onetwo〃
〃Go at once and do as you are told； you disagreeable little
thing；〃 said Gertrude sharply。 〃How dare you be so disobliging？〃
〃nineteneleven〃 pursued Agatha。
The child quailed； went out； and presently returned； hugging the
Recording Angel in her arms。
〃You are a good little darlingwhen your better qualities are
brought out by a judicious application of moral force；〃 said
Agatha； good…humoredly。 〃Remind me to save the raisins out of my
pudding for you to…morrow。 Now； Jane； you shall see the entry for
which the best…hearted girl in the college is to be expelled。
Voila！〃
The two girls read and were awestruck； Jane opening her mouth and
gasping； Gertrude closing hers and looking very serious。
〃Do you mean to say that you had the dreadful cheek to let the
Lady Abbess see that？〃 said Jane。
〃Pooh！ she would have forgiven that。 You should have heard what I
said to her！ She fainted three times。〃
〃That's a story；〃 said Gertrude gravely。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Agatha； swiftly grasping Gertrude's
knee。
〃Nothing；〃 cried Gertrude； flinching hysterically。 〃Don't；
Agatha。〃
〃How many times did Miss Wilson faint？〃
〃Three times。 I will scream； Agatha； I will indeed。〃
〃Three times； as you say。 And I wonder that a girl brought up as
you have been； by moral force； should be capable of repeating
such a falsehood。 But we had an awful row； really and truly。 She
lost her temper。 Fortunately； I never lose mine。〃
〃Well； I'm browed！〃 exclaimed Jane incredulously。 〃I like that。〃
〃For a girl of county family； you are inexcusably vulgar； Jane。 I
don't know what I said； but she will never forgive me for
profaning her pet book。 I shall be expelled as certainly as I am
sitting here。〃
〃And do you mean to say that you are going away？〃 said Jane；
faltering as she began to realize the consequences。
〃I do。 And what is to become of you when I am not here to get you
out of your scrapes； or of Gertrude without me to check her
inveterate snobbishness； is more than I can foresee。〃
〃I am not snobbish；〃 said Gertrude； 〃 although I do not choose to
make friends with everyone。 But I never objected to you； Agatha。〃
〃No； I should like to catch you at it。 Hallo； Jane！〃 （who had
suddenly burst into tears）： 〃what's the matter？ I trust you are
not permitting yourself to take the liberty of crying for me。〃
〃Indeed；〃 sobbed Jane indignantly； 〃I know that I am a ffool
for my pains。 You have no heart。〃
〃You certainly are a ffool； as you aptly express it；〃 said
Agatha； passing her arm round Jane； and disregarding an angry
attempt to shake it off； 〃but if I had any heart it would be
touched by this proof of your attachment。〃
〃I never said you had no heart；〃 protested Jane； 〃but I hate when
you speak like a book。〃
〃You hate when I speak like a book； do you？ My dear； silly old
Jane！ I shall miss you greatly。〃
〃Yes； I dare say；〃 said Jane； with tearful sarcasm。 〃At least my
snoring will never keep you awake again。〃
〃You don't snore； Jane。 We have been in a conspiracy to make you
believe that you do； that's all。 Isn't it good of me to tell
you？〃
Jane was overcome by this revelation。 After a long pause； she
said with deep conviction； 〃I always knew that I didn't。 Oh； the
way you kept it up！ I solemnly declare that from this time forth
I will believe nobody。〃
〃Well； and what do you think of it all？〃 said Agatha；
transferring her attention to Gertrude； who was very grave。
〃I thinkI am now speaking seriously； AgathaI think you are in
the wrong。〃
〃Why do you think that； pray？〃 demanded Agatha； a little roused。
〃You must be； or Miss Wilson would not be angry with you。 Of
course； according to your own account； you are always in the
right； and everyone else is always wrong； but you shouldn't have
written that in the book。 You know I speak as your friend。〃
〃And pray what does your wretched little soul know of my motives
and feelings？〃
〃It is easy enough to understand you；〃 retorted Gertrude；
nettled。 〃Self…conceit is not so uncommon that one need be at a
loss to recognize it。 And mind； Agatha Wylie；〃 she continued； as
if goaded by some unbearable reminiscence； 〃if you are really
going； I don't care whether we part friends or not。 I have not
forgotten the day when you called me a spiteful cat。〃
〃I have repented；〃 said Agatha； unmoved。 〃One day I sat down and
watched Bacchus seated on the hearthrug； with his moony eyes
looking into space so thoughtfully and patiently that I
apologized for comparing you to him。 If I were to call him a
spiteful cat he would only not believe me。〃
〃Because he is a cat；〃 said Jane； with the giggle which was
seldom far behind her tears。
〃No； but because he is not spiteful。 Gertrude keeps a recording
angel inside her little head； and it is so full of other people's
faults； written in large hand and read through a magnifying
glass； that there is no room to enter her own。〃
〃You are very poetic；〃 said Gertrude； 〃but I understand what you
mean； and shall not forget it。〃
〃You ungrateful wretch；〃 exclaimed Agatha； turning upon her so
suddenly and imperiously that she involuntarily shrank aside：
〃how often； when you have tried to be insolent and false with me；
have I not driven away your bad angelby tickling you？ Had you a
friend in the college； except half…a…dozen toadies； until I came？
And now； because I have sometimes； for your own good； shown you
your faults； you bear malice against me； and say that you don't
care whether we part friends or not！〃
〃I didn't say so。〃
〃Oh； Gertrude； you know you did；〃 said Jane。
〃You seem to think that I have no conscience；〃 said Gertrude
querulously。
〃I wish you hadn't；〃 said Agatha。 〃Look at me！ I have no
conscience； and see how much pleasanter I am！〃
〃You care for no one but yourself；〃 said Gertrude。 〃You never
think that other people have feelings too。 No one ever considers
me。〃
〃Oh； I like to hear you talk；〃 cried Jane ironically。 〃You are
considered a great deal more than is good for you； and the more
you are considered the more you want to be considered。〃
〃As if；〃 declaimed Agatha theatrically； 〃increase of appetite did
grow by what it fed on。 Shakespeare！〃
〃Bother Shakespeare；〃 said Jane； impetuously； 〃old fool that
expects credit for saying things that everybody knows！ But if you
complain of not being considered； Gertrude； how would you like to
be me； whom everybody sets down as a fool？ But I am not such a
fool as〃
〃As you look；〃 interposed Agatha。 〃I have told you so scores of
times； Jane； and I am glad that you have adopted my opinion at
last。 Which would you rather be； a greater fool than y〃
〃Oh； shut up；〃 said Jane； impatiently； 〃you have asked me that
twice this week already。〃
The three were silent for some seconds after this： Agatha
meditating； Gertrude moody； Jane vacant and restless。 At last
Agatha said：
〃And are you two also smarting under a sense of the
inconsiderateness and selfishness of the rest of the worldboth
misunderstoodeverything expected from you； and no allowances
made for you？〃
〃I don't know what you mean by both of us；〃 said Gertrude coldly。
〃Neither do I；〃 said Jane angrily。 〃That is just the way people
treat me。 You may laugh； Agatha； and she may turn up her nose as
much as she likes； you know it's true。 But the idea of Gertrude
wanting to make out that she isn't considered is nothing but
sentimentality； and vanity； and nonsense。〃
〃You are exceedingly rude； Miss Carpenter；〃 said Gertrude。
〃My manners are as good as yours； and perhaps better；〃 retorted
Jane。 〃My family is as good； anyhow。〃
〃Children； children；〃 said Agatha； admonitorily； 〃do not forget
that you are sworn friends。〃
〃We didn't swear；〃 said Jane。 〃We were to have been three sworn
friends； and Gertrude and I were willing； but you wouldn't swear；
and so the bargain was cried off。〃
〃Just so；〃 said Agatha； 〃and the result is that I spend all my
time in keeping peace between you。 And now； to go back to our
subject； may I ask whether it has ever occurred to you that no
one ever considers me？〃
〃I suppose you think that very funny。 You take good care to make
yourself considered；〃 sneered Jane。
〃You cannot say that I do not consider you；〃 said Gertrude
reproachfully。
〃Not when I tickle you； dear。〃
〃I consider you； and I am not ticklesome；〃 said Jane tenderly。
〃Indeed！ Let me try；〃 said Agatha； slipping her arm about Jane's
ample waist； and eliciting a piercing combination of laugh and
scream from her。
〃Shsh；〃 whispered Gertrude quickly。 〃Don't you see