FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>  
--and boxes of silver things and bank notes--won't she be rich? And he'd written it in an enigma--we thought we were going to starve there like Ginevra--and we climbed down through the portrait--oh, may we go and tell Monica about it now?" "This is indeed a most extraordinary discovery," said Miss Russell, when at length she had drawn from them a more lucid statement of affairs. "Monica must certainly know, but no one is to tell her except myself. I will go down presently to the cottage and see her, and warn her to break the news very gently to her mother. If Mrs. Courtenay were to hear of it suddenly, the shock might be exceedingly dangerous, in her weak state of health." The news that something of great importance had happened seemed to spread like wildfire through the school. Both teachers and pupils, abandoning their books, came crowding into the library to hear particulars. Even the servants hurried to the spot. "Oh, bless you, bless you!" cried Mrs. Wilson, who had pushed her way among the girls to the central source of information. "This is indeed a day of rejoicing--a day to remember and give thanks for to the end of one's life!" Lindsay and Cicely stared at her in amazement. Was it actually "The Griffin" who was speaking? And were those tears that were trickling down her hard cheeks? What did it mean? Was she acting a part? Or had they after all misjudged her? There was no time then for either surmises or explanations. They were the heroines of the hour, and had to repeat their story afresh to those who had not yet heard it at first hand. "We couldn't imagine where you were hidden," said Marjorie Butler. "We were hunting in the picture gallery for ever so long. Beryl peeped inside the settle, and said it was empty." "We were still more puzzled when you didn't turn up for tea," said Nora Proctor. "Do tell us again about the bags of money!" Miss Russell, however, thinking the excitement had lasted long enough, interfered and put a stop to the recital. "Everybody must go back to preparation at once," she decreed. "Lindsay and Cicely have had no tea. Are you hungry?" she added, turning to the adventurous pair. "Starving," they replied laconically. "Then I will excuse your preparation to-night, and you may come with me to the dining-room. It would be rather hard to expect you to set to work upon lessons immediately after such an experience." CHAPTER XVII Good-bye to the Manor Mo
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>  



Top keywords:
preparation
 

Cicely

 

Lindsay

 

Russell

 

Monica

 
couldn
 
imagine
 

lessons

 
peeped
 

Marjorie


gallery

 

Butler

 
hunting
 

immediately

 
hidden
 

picture

 
repeat
 
misjudged
 

surmises

 

inside


afresh

 

heroines

 

CHAPTER

 

explanations

 

experience

 

puzzled

 

dining

 

hungry

 

decreed

 

Everybody


turning

 
excuse
 

laconically

 

adventurous

 

Starving

 
replied
 

recital

 
Proctor
 

settle

 
interfered

lasted
 

excitement

 
thinking
 
expect
 

source

 

presently

 
cottage
 

statement

 
affairs
 

exceedingly