" said Morvyth. "She's been to school before, and
she's up to most dodges. Naturally she comprehends that her own Form
are trying to rag her."

"That's where we come in," agreed Raymonde. "We're going to pose as
philanthropists. One or two of us have got to take Cynthia up. We'll
make her realize, of course, how very kind it is of Fifth Form girls
to befriend a lonely junior."

"And having taken her up--what then?" queried Fauvette.

"Bless your innocence, child! Why, we'll let her down with a run!"

"Are we all in it?"

"No; it would be too marked. Best leave the affair to Aveline and me.
You others must stand aloof and look disinterested but sympathetic.
I'll speak to her at lunch-time."

During the mid-morning interval, therefore, Raymonde singled out her
victim. Cynthia was standing slightly apart from her Form, consuming
thick bread and butter with an air of pensive melancholy, and twisting
a pet bracelet that adorned her wrist. Raymonde strolled up casually.

"Getting on all right?" she began, by way of opening the attack. "I
say, you know, I thought I'd just speak to you. I expect you're having
a grizzly time with those wretched juniors. They're a set of
blighters, aren't they?"

"I do find them a little trying," admitted Cynthia cautiously,
"especially as I was head girl at my old school."

"Rather a climb-down from Senior to Junior, isn't it? Why didn't Miss
Beasley put you in the Fifth?"

"My mother asked her to, but she said as I was only thirteen it was
quite impossible. It's all right. I expect to be ragged a little at
first. I'll live it down in time."

Cynthia's expression of patient resignation was almost too much for
Raymonde, but she controlled her countenance and continued:

"They'll respect you all the more afterwards, no doubt."

"I hope so. We didn't rag new girls at The Poplars. I always made a
point of showing them they were welcome. It seemed only fair to Miss
Gordon. She was more like a personal friend than a teacher, and she
looked to me, you see, to keep up the tone of the school."

"She must be lost without you!"

"I think they'll miss me," admitted Cynthia, with a little fluttering
sigh of regret. "The girls all subscribed before I left and gave me
this bracelet as a keepsake. It's got an inscription inside. Would you
like to look at it?"

Cynthia had unclasped her treasure, and handed it with an assumed
nonchalance for Raymonde's inspection. On the gold band was engrave