g allowed
to be seconded and put to the vote, everybody began to talk separately.
I beg to propose again that the editorship of the Magazine be changed
each time, and nobody be eligible for office again within twelve
months."

"And I beg to second the proposal," cried Gladys.

"Those in favour, kindly signify!" said the President.

"Put it to the ballot!" suggested Alice O'Connor eagerly.

"No, we'll have a show of hands," returned Hetty grimly. "We want to
know which among you are answerable for this business. In all common
sense, how do you suppose a magazine can be run properly with a
different editress each time? But it's evidently a question of Gipsy
Latimer versus Maude Helm as leader of the Lower School. Which will you
choose, girls?"

Several hands that were on the point of going up wavered at that, and
went down again. Maude was not a general favourite, and though she had
contrived to raise a spirit of envy against Gipsy, nobody was anxious to
claim her as a leader.

"I suggested Leonora as editress," corrected Maude, rising angrily.
"Miss Poppleton herself proposed it!"

But at that there was a scornful laugh. Maude had made a fatal mistake.
Miss Poppleton's championship, far from being a recommendation, was
exactly the reverse. The girls resented her interference in their
private concerns, and did not intend to allow her the least voice in
their councils.

"We don't want Poppie's pet, thanks!"

"She's not going to manage our Guild for us!"

"We can make our own choice!"

So few hands went up in favour of Maude's proposal that its rejection
was obvious at once. Meg Gordon started up immediately with a counter
motion.

"I beg to propose that Gipsy Latimer continue to be editress until the
end of the summer term."

"And I beg to second that motion," agreed Lennie Chapman heartily.

This time the hands went up in earnest, and there was no doubt about the
majority.

"Hurrah! Hurrah!" shouted Gipsy's supporters, turning in much triumph
upon the opposition as the meeting broke up. Maude and her friends,
finding the point carried, had no more to say, and were obliged to drop
the subject. Leonora affected a sublime indifference.

"I'm sure I didn't want to be editress. I can't think why they suggested
it," she said, in her stolid, bored fashion.

"To carry favour with Poppie, and spite Gipsy!" declared Lennie Chapman.
"I don't blame you: they made you a cat's-paw, that's all."

"It's a victory