Geraldine is Geraldine from this time forward."

But there came an exclamation of dismay from Gerry at that.

"Oh, Muriel!" she cried, gazing at the head girl with piteous eyes, and
forgetting for the moment her confusion at finding herself the centre
of interest like this. "But I'd _like_ to keep the nickname, if you
don't mind! Every body calls me Gerry now, and I don't want to be
Geraldine again at all. I'd ever so much rather go on being just
Gerry."

A ripple of laughter ran round the room at this spontaneous outburst
from the shy new girl. Gerry coloured up in still greater
embarrassment as she heard it, but Muriel put her hand very kindly on
the younger girl's shoulder.

"Gerry it shall be, then, if you want it so," she said, with a smile.
"But we'll drop the prefix, shall we! You don't want _that_. Girls,
you've just given three cheers for Geraldine Wilmott. Suppose we give
three more for--Just Gerry."

"Gerry, Gerry! Just Gerry!" cried the girls. And the cheers which
rang out, accompanied by musical honours this time, confused Gerry so
much that she ran out of the room to hide her emotion, and was
discovered later by an irate Sister sobbing her heart out for joy on
her bed in Cubicle Thirteen--the luck of which had surely changed at
last!

"What on earth Miss Oakley meant by letting you send for the child to
upset her like this, I don't know!" exclaimed that scandalised official
severely, when Muriel and Monica came seeking the runaway with eager
penitence. "It's enough to make her light-headed on the top of the
shock she's had. Oh, don't talk to me about not meaning it! You just
go and let me get her into bed. And for goodness' sake keep the
dormitory quiet to-night, if you don't want her in the sick-room with a
nervous breakdown in the morning!"

* * * * *

But it isn't tears of joy that hurt people! And after a night of
unbroken slumber, the occupant of Cubicle Thirteen awoke refreshed in
mind and body--unless you count a slightly swollen nose--to begin a new
and happier career at Wakehurst Priory as--Just Gerry.

THE END

[Illustration: Back end paper]

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Just Gerry, by Christine Chaundler

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