well," said the Dowager, unmoved. "I do not wish to favor
the wearing of false hair."

"It's the principle of the thing," said Miss Lord.

"And that poor Irene McCullough," Mademoiselle continued the tale, "she
dissolves herself in tears. Those three insist that she make herself
thin, and she has no wish to become thin."

"They take away her butter-ball," corroborated Miss Wadsworth, "before
she comes to the table; they make her go without dessert, and they do
not allow her to eat sugar on her oatmeal. They keep her exercising
every moment, and when she complains to me, they punish her."

"I should think," the Dowager spoke with a touch of sarcasm, "that Irene
were big enough to take care of herself."

"She has three against her," reminded Miss Lord.

"I called Patty to my room," said Miss Wadsworth, "and demanded an
explanation. She told me that Mrs. Trent thought that Irene was too fat,
and wished them to reduce her twenty pounds! Patty said that it was hard
work, they were getting thin themselves, but they realized that they
were seniors and must exert an influence over the school. I really think
she was sincere. She talked very sweetly about moral responsibility, and
the necessity of the older girls setting an example."

"It is her impudence," said Miss Lord, "that is so exasperating."

"That's--just Patty!" the Dowager laughed. "I must confess that I find
all three of them amusing. It's good, healthy mischief and I wish there
were more of it. They don't bribe the maids to mail letters, or smuggle
in candy, or flirt with the soda-water clerk. They at least can be
trusted."

"Trusted!" gasped Miss Lord.

"To break every minor rule with cheerful unconcern," nodded the
Dowager, "but never to do the slightest thing dishonorable. They have
kind hearts and the girls all love them--"

A knock sounded on the door with startling suddenness, and before anyone
could reply, the door burst open and Keren-happuch appeared on the
threshold. She was clutching with one hand the folds of a brilliant
Japanese kimono, the other she reserved for gestures. The kimono was
sprinkled with fire-eating dragons as large as cats; and to the
astonished spectators, Keren's flushed face and disheveled hair seemed
to carry out the decorative scheme. The Dowager's private study was a
sacred spot, reserved for interviews of formality; never had a pupil
presented herself in such unceremonious garb.

"Keren!" cried Miss Wadsworth. "What h