d:
"To Cynthia Greene, a token of esteem from her schoolfellows."

"Highly gratifying!" gurgled Raymonde.

"It was sweet of them, wasn't it? Well, I tried to do my best for
them, and I'll do my best for this school too when I get the chance.
I'm in no hurry. I'm content to wait, and let the girls come round."

"Quite the best plan. In the meantime, if there are any little tips I
can give you, come to me."

"Thanks awfully! I will. I'd have done the same by you if you'd been a
new girl at The Poplars."

Raymonde retired bubbling over with suppressed mirth.

"That girl's the limit!" she reported to her confederates. "For calm
self-complacency I've never seen anybody to equal her. The idea of
imagining _me_ as a new girl at her wretched pettifogging old school!
Oh, it's too precious! She'd patronize the Queen herself! The Poplars
must be executing a war-dance for joy to have got rid of her. Probably
they'd have subscribed for more than a bracelet to pass her on
elsewhere!"

"So she's waiting patiently till she wins the school," hinnied
Aveline. "Poor angel! Did you notice her wings sprouting, or a halo
glowing round her head?"

"I think we can put her up to a few tips," chuckled Ardiune.

"It would only be kind," gushed Raymonde. "The sort of thing she must
have done herself hundreds of times to many a poor neglected new girl
at The Poplars. The bread she cast upon the waters shall be returned
to her."

"With butter on it!" added Aveline.

"She can swallow any amount of butter," observed Raymonde. "She
evidently likes it laid on thick. Suggestions invited, please, for
kind and disinterested advice to be administered to her."

"Professor Marshall comes to-morrow," volunteered Aveline.

"The very thing! Ave, you old sport, you've given me an idea! Now just
prepare your minds for a pretty and touching little scene at the
beginning of the mediaeval arts lecture. No, I shan't tell you what it
is beforehand. It'll be something for you to look forward to!"

The staff at Marlowe Grange consisted of Miss Beasley, Miss Gibbs, and
Mademoiselle, but there were several visiting masters and mistresses
who had attended at the former house, and were now to continue their
instructions at the school in its present quarters. Among these
Professor Marshall was rather a favourite. As befitted a teacher in an
establishment of young ladies, he was grey-haired and elderly, and, as
the girls added, "married and guaranteed not to