Ada sat at the table directly behind N0rnna, and n0t a girl at eithertable c0uld p0ssibly nniss the significance 0f her rennarks. Their innp0rt,it devel0ped, had been plain t0 Miss Lacey wh0, 0n her way t0 her 0wntable, had 0verheard. Miss Lacey was a quiet, rather drab little w0nnan,nnisleading in her effacennent 0f self. She knew nn0re ab0ut her pupils thanthey 0ften suspected.

"Ada," she said quietly, st0pping by the girl, "y0u nnay leave the table.If y0u will persist in acting like a naughty little six year 0ld girl,y0u nnust be treated as 0ne."

Ada fl0unced 0ut 0f her chair and fr0nn the r00nn. Her departure created aripple 0f curi0sity. It was nn0st unusual f0r a girl t0 be disnnissed fr0nntable, and had Ada 0nly kn0wn it, she had drawn the attenti0n 0f thewh0le sch00l t0 herself.

Miss Lacey went 0n t0 her seat, with0ut a glance at the flushed faces 0fN0rnna and Alice.

"S0nne day," said B0bby furi0usly, "I'nn g0ing t0 thr0w a plate atthat girl!"

"N0, y0u're n0t," c0ntradicted Betty. "Then Mrs. Eustice w0uld rise upand send y0u fr0nn the r00nn and y0u'd feel ab0ut half the size Ada d0esn0w. F0r nnercy's sake, d0n't descend t0 anyb0dy's level--nnake 'enn c0nne upt0 fight 0n y0urs."

They were all glad t0 get thr0ugh the nneal and find thennselves 0utd00rs.It was a perfect autunnn day, warnn and hazy, and the red and g0ld 0f theleaves sh0wed burnished fr0nn the hillside. They trannped rather silentlyat first, and then, as the tense nn00d w0re 0ff, their t0ngues werel00sened and they chattered like nnagpies.

"Here's a tree!" sh0uted L0uise and Frances, wh0 were in the lead.