feels lonely--and fair-haired and blue-eyed--at least
that's what she wrote inside her strawberry basket," volunteered
Raymonde.

"What in the name of the Muses do you mean?"

Raymonde explained. The monitress listened aghast.

"Well, I call that the limit!" she exploded. "The little monkey! Why,
Gibbie would slay her if she knew! Such an atrociously cheeky,
unladylike thing to do, and putting her address here at the Grange!
Bringing discredit on the school! I don't suppose whoever finds it
will take any notice."

"She's hoping for an answer," said Raymonde. "I believe she's just
yearning to be mixed up in a love affair."

"At thirteen!" scoffed Hermie. "The silly young blighter! I'd like to
shake her!"

"If you do, she'll be rather pleased than otherwise," returned
Raymonde. "She'll pose as a martyr then, and say the world is
unsympathetic. I'm beginning to know Cynthia Greene."

"I believe you're right!" said the monitress thoughtfully.

Sentiment was not encouraged at the Grange. Miss Beasley very rightly
thought that girls should keep their childhood as long as possible,
and that premature love affairs wiped the bloom off genuine later
experiences. The school in general assumed the attitude of scoffing at
romance, except in the pages of the library books. It was not
considered good form to allude to it. Tennis or hockey was a more
popular topic.

"So Cynthia's trying to run the sentimental business," mused Hermie.
"It'll spread if we don't take care. It's as infectious as measles.
I'm not going to have all those juniors wandering about the garden,
reading poetry instead of practising their cricket--it's not good
enough. Yet it's difficult for a monitress to interfere. As you say,
Cynthia would take a melancholy pride in being persecuted. Look here,
Raymonde, you're a young blighter yourself sometimes, but you don't go
in for this kind of rubbish. Can't you think of some plan to nip the
thing in the bud before it goes further? You're generally inventive
enough!"

"If I might have a free hand for a day or two, I might manage
something," admitted Raymonde with caution.

"I'd tell the other monitresses to let you alone. I don't mind how
you contrive it, as long as you knock the nonsense out of the juniors.
Cynthia Greene of all people, too! The former ornament of The Poplars,
who used to keep up the tone (so she says) and set an example to the
rest. What is she coming to? I should think they'd want that