LOTUS BLOOMS 36

IV. AN UPHEAVAL 49

V. LESBIA BURNS HER BOATS 62

VI. LESBIA'S FUTURE 75

VII. THOSE JUNIORS 90

VIII. BEFORE THE CURTAIN 104

IX. GIRLS OF VA 117

X. PILGRIMS' INN CHAMBERS 127

XI. A HOLIDAY GOVERNESS 143

XII. THE BLESSED DAMOZEL 154

XIII. IN LUCK'S WAY 168

XIV. A COUNTRY COTTAGE 184

XV. THE STRIPLING 196

XVI. FRICTION 208

XVII. A HARD TERM 221

XVIII. AN ADVENTURE 237

XIX. ALACK! 248

XX. THE HIGHWAY WOMAN 263

XXI. LESBIA DECIDES 275

Illustrations

Facing Page

"IT'S WONDERFULLY GOOD" _Frontispiece_

KINDLY INTEREST 128

NOT A TRACE OF DERRICK 200

SHE SQUEEZED THROUGH THE FRAME WITHOUT MUCH DIFFICULTY 240

LOYAL TO THE SCHOOL

CHAPTER I

New Lamps

"The fault I find with the Kingfield High School," proclaimed Kathleen
Wilcox, squatting on the top of a boot locker, and putting on a new pair
of patent leather house shoes with a deliberate eye to their effect upon
her surrounding friends and foes, "the fault I find--yes, I _do_ find
fault and I _shall_, Lesbia Ferrars, though you _are_ the oldest pupil
and take the school under your wing! You needn't make round eyes at me
like that! I don't care twopence for your glares! Well, as I was
saying--and I _won't_ be interrupted--the fault I find with the
Kingfield High School is that it's not nearly go-ahead enough. If you
ask me I think it's dropping behind the times!"

"Dropping behind the times!" ec