“You are lucky to get ‘Heartsease,’” said Grace.  “Mrs. Gray has refused over and over again to rent it.  It belonged to her favorite brother, who willed it to her when he died.  She has always kept it in repair.  Even the furniture has not been changed.  I have been there with her, and I love every bit of it.  I am glad to know that it has a tenant at last.”

“Mrs. Gray knew my aunt years ago.  They have kept up a correspondence for ever so long.  It was due to her that we came here,” said Eleanor.

“Is your aunt Miss Margaret Nevin?” asked Anne quietly.

“Why, how did you know her name?” cried Eleanor, apparently mystified.  “‘This is getting curiouser and curiouser.’”

The four girls laughed merrily.

“Anne is Mrs. Gray’s private secretary,” explained Jessica.  “She tends to all her correspondence.  I suppose you have written more than one letter to Miss Savell’s aunt, haven’t you, Anne!”

“Yes, indeed,” replied Anne.  “Her name is very familiar to me.”

“What class are you girls in?” said Eleanor, abruptly changing the subject.  “Or aren’t you all in the same class?”

“We are all juniors,” laughed Nora, “and proud of it.  Our green and callow days are over, and we have entered into the realm of the upper classes.”

“Then I shall enter the junior class, too, for I choose to hob-nob with you girls.  Don’t say you don’t want me, for I have made up my mind; and it is like the laws of the Medes and Persians, unchangeable.”

“We shall be glad to welcome a new classmate, of course,” responded Grace.  “I hope you will soon be one of us.  Did Miss Thompson say that you would have to take examinations?”

“She did, she did,” answered Eleanor ruefully.  “Still I’m not much afraid.  I’ve studied with a tutor, so I’m pretty well up in mathematics and English.  I can speak French, German, Italian and Spanish almost as well as English.  You know I’ve lived most of my life abroad.  I’ll manage to pass somehow.”

“I should think you would,” exclaimed Anne admiringly.  “I hope you pass, I’m sure.  Perhaps you’ll be too far advanced for our class.”

“Never fear, my dear,” said Eleanor.  “My heart is with the juniors, and leave it to me not to land in any other class.  But, really, I’ve bothered you long enough.  I must go back to your principal and announce myself ready to meet my fate.  I hope to know you better when examinations have ceased to be a burden and the weary are at rest.  That is, if I survive.”

With a gay little nod, and a dazzling smile that revealed almost perfect teeth, she walked quickly down the long room and out the door, leaving the girl chums staring after her.

“What an extraordinary girl!” said Jessica.  “She acts as though she’d known us all her life, and we never set eyes on her until she marched in and calmly interrupted us ten minutes ago.”

“It doesn’t seem to make much difference whether or not we like her.  She has decided she likes us, and that settles it,” said Grace, smiling.  “What do you think of her, Anne?  You are a pretty good judge of character.”