and yet they would
not be able to say why she attracted attention. She was very little
taller than Marion Cooper, who was the tallest of the girls in our first
class; but yet she gave one the impression of being rather above the
middle height, because she walked so well and moved in that easy
graceful manner which belongs to a person who, as the old housekeeper
at the school used to say, "was born and bred a lady." There is no way
of describing her; though Annie Bowers, who could draw beautifully, made
several pencil sketches that were wonderful likenesses. Her hair, fine,
soft, and wavy, was dark chestnut, with that warm brown tinge that looks
so well with a rather pale creamy complexion; her features were regular,
her eyes of that strange gray that looks dark at night and steel-blue in
the sunshine--eyes that seemed to see into one's thoughts, and would
have been severe except for the smile that flitted about her clear
well-cut mouth whenever anything humorous happened, or a pleasant
thought was passing through her mind. She always looked well-dressed,
though she wore silver-gray alpaca or dark brown merino in school, and
rather plain black or gray silk when she went visiting. But there was
mostly a rose or some other flower in her silver brooch, and the lace
that she sometimes wore at her neck and wrists was so fine and elegant
that Mrs. Durand, who was the widow of a general officer and had been
educated at a convent, declared it was very valuable indeed, and never
was made in England. Somebody, speaking once of Miss Grantley's
appearance, compared her to fine old china; and she had just that clear
unsullied nice look that reminded you of an old china figure, though
there was nothing particularly old-fashioned about her. She had some
very pretty old-fashioned things, though--quaint ivory carvings and
porcelain bowls, and a delightful old tea-set, and some old plate of
that dark-looking silver that always seems to have a deep shadow lying
under its smooth shining surface. She was something like that silver,
too; for though she was bright and pleasant and with a constant liking
for fun, there was a great deal of gravity beneath her smile. No one
could have treated her with familiar levity, though she was gentle and
sweet-tempered; for no one who had seen her very rare expression of deep
displeasure would care to provoke it. Of course I am chiefly speaking
now of our girls, but I think other people--grown-up and importan