The Honours list was all too short, and a few seconds were sufficient to convince them——
"Oh!" burst involuntarily from Lucy's lips, as the truth forced itself upon her.
"Hush!" said Mona hastily, in a low voice. "It is all right. Come along."
She hurried Lucy down the steps, past the postoffice, and into Regent Street.
"You know, dear, there are those confounded telegrams to be sent off," said Lucy deprecatingly.
"Yes, yes, I know. There is no hurry. Let me think."
They strolled along in the bright sunshine, but Mona felt as cold as lead. She did not believe that she had failed. There must be some mistake. They had misspelt her name, perhaps, or possibly omitted it by accident. They would correct the mistake to-morrow. It could not be that she had really failed again. After all, was she sure that her name was not there?
"Lucy," she said at last, "do you mind going back with me to the University, and glancing over the lists again?"
"Yes, do. We must have made a mistake. It is simply ridiculous."
But in her heart of hearts she knew that they had not made a mistake.