"Affectionately,
"Bertha."
It was hard to study through that lovely afternoon, when the other girls, or most of them, were out-of-doors, playing tennis or basket-ball, and their voices came in at the window in every tone of joyousness and delight. It was very hard to study the detested rhetoric and history, but Peggy was strong in her good resolve, and bent steadily over her books, trying her very best. Once, indeed, came a sore temptation, when a ball struck her window lightly, and, going to look out, she saw Grace Wolfe standing below.
"Come out, Innocent!" said the Scapegoat, in her deep, musical tones. "Come and sport with me!
"The ship is ready and the wind blows fair,
And I am bound for the sea, Mary Anne!"
"Oh! Oh, thank you!" cried Peggy. "I wish I could, but I have to work now, I'm afraid."
"Is this a time to think o' wark,
Wi' Scapegoat at the door?"
inquired Grace, looking up with her head on one side. "Why work at this hour, Innocent? Even the slaves of virtue, even the Owls, are at play now."
Peggy leaned out of the window; it really seemed as if her body would be drawn out after her longing spirit, which had been out and away from the first summons.
"Yes, the Owls!" she said. "That's just it, Miss Wolfe."
"No!" interrupted Grace. "Not Miss Wolfe! Not all Æsop! Impossible to be wolf and goat at the same time, and do justice to either character. Let it be Goat, or Grace, as you like."