"I can't agree with you. It would be a very great pleasure to me if I saw you presented with a musical scholarship."
"Would it?" said Kathleen, glancing at the thin and careworn face of the music teacher.
"You don't know what it would mean to me," answered Miss Spicer. "It is seldom that one has the
pleasure of teaching real talent, and I can't say how refreshing it is to me to hear you play as you do. But I want you to improve; I want you to be a credit to me."
"I'd like to please you, of course," said Kathleen. She spoke gently, and then she added: "But there is only one piano at the Tennants', and that is in the drawing-room, and Alice or the boys or Mrs. Tennant are always there. I have not many opportunities to practice."
"I live in the same terrace," said Miss Spicer eagerly, "and my piano is hardly ever used. If you only would come and make use of it. There is a fire in my sitting-room, and you could come at any hour whenever you have a fancy. Will you? It would be a great pleasure to me."
"You are very kind. Yes, I will come."
Kathleen bent towards the music mistress and, somewhat to that lady's astonishment, printed a kiss on her forehead. The kiss went right down into Miss Spicer's somewhat frozen heart.
Immediately after school that day Cassandra held out her hand to Ruth. Ruth went up to her gravely.
"Well, Ruth," she said, "have you decided? I hope you have. You told me you would let me know to-day."