By degrees, as she was able to bear it, one after another went to Fannie and begged her forgiveness, which was freely granted.  She said:—­

“I don’t wonder you made fun of me.  I know I was poorly dressed, and awful homely.  I would have pulled every hair out of my head long ago only I knew it would grow out as red as ever.  But, oh! if I could have felt that I had just one friend among you all I could have borne it; but somehow it just broke my heart to have you all turn against me.”

After this she gained rapidly, and one fine morning the doctor said she might join the girls in the drawing room for an hour before tea.  There had been a vast deal of whispering and hurrying to and fro of late, among the girls, of which Fannie had been totally unconscious.

At the appointed time, madam herself came to assist her, and leaning upon her strong arm, the young girl walked feebly through the long hall and down the stairs.

“My dear, the girls have planned a little surprise for you, to make the hour as pleasant as possible.”

She opened the door and seated Fannie in an easy chair, as the girls came gliding in, with smiling faces, singing a sweet song of welcome.  At its close Belle Burnette approached and placed a beautiful wreath of flowers upon her head, saying:—­

“Dear Fannie, we crown you our queen to-day, knowing well how far above us all you are in His sight, who looketh upon the heart instead of the outward appearance.  You have taught us a lesson we shall never forget, and we beg you to accept a token of sincere love and repentance for our treatment of you in the past, which you will find in your room on your return.”

Fannie’s eyes were full of tears, and she tried to say a word in reply, but madam spoke for her, and after another song, they followed their newly crowned queen to the dining-room, where a most tempting feast was laid in honor of the occasion.

Fannie was quietly, tearfully happy through it all, yet so wearied with the unusual excitement that madam said she must not see the girl’s “peace offering” that night.

The first thing she saw the next morning was a fine large trunk, and lying upon it a card:  “For Miss Fannie Comstock, from her teacher and schoolmates.”  Opening it, she saw that it was packed full of newly folded garments, but she had no time to examine the contents until after breakfast, when they left her alone with her wonderful gifts.

There were pretty dresses and sacques, a fine new parasol, gloves and ribbons, cuffs and collars in abundance—­indeed, everything that a young schoolgirl could possibly need.  Every one of madam’s two hundred and ten pupils had contributed from their choicest and best, to furnish a complete outfit for their less favored mate.

[Illustration:  "On the floor, crying like a baby."]

At the bottom was a well-filled writing desk, an album containing all their pictures, and a pretty purse containing $5, and the following note from madam:—­