am not clever, I am
not good-looking; in short, I am nothing at all, just the most ordinary
person. But I can tell you something about the characters of your other
school-fellows if you like. Would you care? There is plenty of time.
Shall we walk up and down for a little?"

Lucy could not resist the temptation. Phyllis, who was quite as frank
and free as Mrs. Merriman herself, laid her hand on Lucy's arm. Lucy
shuddered, but submitted.

"The person who has got the greatest character among us is Rosamund
Cunliffe. She will rule us all."

"She won't rule me," interrupted Lucy angrily.

"You can't help it, my dear. She has always ruled every one with whom
she comes in contact; and she does it quite nicely, too, for she isn't
unamiable. She simply has a strong character."

"I hardly know what she is like," said Lucy.

"Oh, you must have observed her--that tall, dark, pretty-looking girl,
with rosy cheeks and a pretty mouth."

"Yes, I think I know whom you mean."

"And she is clever, too. But I don't think it is her beauty or her
talent that makes her curious charm. It is something beyond all this. I
never saw her do a really unamiable thing, and yet I think she must
love power very much. You will soon find out for yourself what she is
like. As for Janey Denton, she is just a good sort, something like me.
And Laura Everett is very proud of her family, and she is clever. And
Annie Millar is Laura's shadow, and does nothing whatever except what
Laura wishes. Then there is Agnes Sparkes. She is supposed to be my
friend, and she is very pretty, fair, and lively and clever. But of all
the girls who have come here to-day the two who will make their mark in
the world are beyond doubt Rosamund Cunliffe and Laura Everett. Now, I
think I will let you find out the rest for yourself."

CHAPTER II.

ROSAMUND TAKES THE LEAD.

Before that day had come to an end, Lucy had discovered how true were
Phyllis Flower's words. For Rosamund Cunliffe, without making herself in
the least disagreeable, without saying one single rude thing, yet
managed to take the lead, and that so effectively that even Lucy herself
found that she could not help following in her train.

For instance, after dinner, when the girls--all of them rather tired,
and perhaps some of them a little cross, and no one exactly knowing what
to do--clustered about the open drawing-room windows, it was Rosamund
who proposed that the rugs should be rolled back a