VIII. VIVIEN MAKES TERMS 101

IX. WHITE ELEPHANTS 114

X. A SINISTER INCIDENT 128

XI. MADAME BERTIER 140

XII. THE SENSATION BUREAU 154

XIII. ROSEMARY'S SECRET 168

XIV. WHAT HAPPENED AT EASTER 181

XV. AN ACADEMY PICTURE 196

XVI. AN OPPORTUNITY 211

XVII. A MID-TERM BEANO 223

XVIII. AN ADVENTURE 235

XIX. MORLAND ON LEAVE 243

XX. SMUGGLERS' COVE 250

XXI. TROUBLE 266

XXII. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS 280

Illustrations

Page

"OH, DO FIND OUT WHERE 'KILMENY' IS," BEGGED
LORRAINE _Frontispiece_

LORRAINE 72

"EVERYTHING'S GONE WRONG!" DECLARED LORRAINE
TRAGICALLY 144

"CLAUDIA! HOW _COULD_ YOU FORGET?" 192

CLAUDIA FLUNG HER ARMS ROUND ROSEMARY'S NECK
AND HUGGED HER 216

SHE STOOD UP CAUTIOUSLY 240

THE HEAD GIRL AT THE GABLES

CHAPTER I

A Momentous Decision

It was exactly ten days before the opening of the autumn term at The
Gables. The September sunshine, flooding through the window of the
Principal's study, lighted up the bowl of carnations upon the
writing-table, and, flashed back from the Chippendale mirror on the
wall, caught the book-case with the morocco-bound editions of the poets,
showed up the etching of "Dante's Dream" over the mantelpiece, and
glowed on Miss Kingsley's ripply brown hair, turning all the silver
threads in it to gold. Miss Kingsley, rested and refreshed after the
long summer holiday, a touch of pink in her cheeks and a brightness in
her eyes, left as a legacy from the breezes of the Cheviot Hills, was
seated at her desk with a notebook in front of her and a fountain pen in
her hand, making plans for a fresh year's work.

Miss Janet, armed with a stump of pencil and the back of an envelope,
ready to jot down suggest