[Illustration: "'SHAKE HANDS, NOW, AND LET US MAKE FRIENDS.'" (Page 27.)]
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A WORLD OF GIRLS:
THE STORY OF A SCHOOL.
By L. T. MEADE.
Author of "The Palace Beautiful," "A Sweet Girl Graduate," "Polly: A New Fashioned Girl," Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
NEW YORK: A. L. BURT, PUBLISHER.
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. "Good-Bye" to the Old Life. 1
CHAPTER II. Traveling Companions. 6
CHAPTER III. At Lavender House. 13
CHAPTER IV. Little Drawing-Rooms and Little Tiffs. 19
CHAPTER V. The Head-Mistress. 28
CHAPTER VI. "I am Unhappy." 32
CHAPTER VII. A Day at School. 35
CHAPTER VIII. "You have Waked me too Soon." 47
CHAPTER IX. Work and Play. 54
CHAPTER X. Varieties. 62
CHAPTER XI. What was Found in the School-Desk. 74
CHAPTER XII. In the Chapel. 88
CHAPTER XIII. Talking over the Mystery. 95
CHAPTER XIV. "Sent to Coventry." 102
CHAPTER XV. About Some People who Thought no Evil. 107
CHAPTER XVI. "An Enemy Hath Done This." 114
CHAPTER XVII. "The Sweets are Poisoned." 123
CHAPTER XVIII. In the Hammock. 129
CHAPTER XIX. Cup and Ball. 136
CHAPTER XX. In the South Parlor. 143
CHAPTER XXI. Stealing Hearts. 151
CHAPTER XXII. In Burn Castle Wood. 155
CHAPTER XXIII. "Humpty-Dumpty had a Great Fall." 168
CHAPTER XXIV. Annie to the Rescue. 173
CHAPTER XXV. A Spoiled Baby. 180
CHAPTER XXVI. Under the Laurel Bush. 188
CHAPTER XXVII. Truants. 193
CHAPTER XXVIII. In the Fairies' Field. 198
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A World of Girls by L. T. Meade
- 2: Those dangerous stairs had been descended
- 3: She has crumpled all your crape frills
- 4: Hester Thornton had been one of the happiest
- 5: Hester murmured a feeble assent
- 6: Glancing first at her sister and then addressing Hester
- 7: Hester trembled at the darkness
- 8: And Miss Danesbury turned to Hester
- 9: Miss Danesbury pushed open the baize door
- 10: It's a shame of Perier to give such stuff to a stranger
- 11: And whom Hester had not before noticed
- 12: Give me your opinion about this Annie
- 13: The little girl followed Miss Danesbury in silence
- 14: Cecil is one of my dearest pupils
- 15: Willis Do you remember your favorite pupil
- 16: Willis did not speak to Hester
- 17: Hester walked boldly into the group
- 18: And Hester knelt alone on the hearth rug
- 19: Perier about her at twelve o'clock
- 20: And Miss Danesbury asked if any one would like to see Mrs
- 21: And I shall have a bad mark if Danesbury comes in
- 22: Said Hester after a long pause
- 23: Prunes and Prisms not so cross eat your lollipops
- 24: Admitted of only twenty compartments
- 25: She deputed Miss Good or Miss Danesbury to take her place
- 26: Cecil had invited Hester Thornton
- 27: Hester firmly maintained her position
- 28: Annie and Cecil entered the room together
- 29: Dora Russell was the soul of neatness and order
- 30: Instead of being almost overpoweringly friendly with Hester
- 31: No story books are allowed to be concealed in a school desk
- 32: Hester herself was the very next victim
- 33: Hester was required to write out her exercise again
- 34: And bring the culprit to justice
- 35: Cecil's face grew whiter and whiter
- 36: Willis sought Cecil Temple there
- 37: Cecil covered her face with her hands
- 38: Said Cecil imploringly don't say her name
- 39: But Cecil would not seat herself
- 40: That Cecil has got something to say
- 41: I do know something about the caricature
- 42: Annie was undoubtedly the favorite of the school
- 43: Annie sha'n't go to any nasty place
- 44: Hester would not allow herself
- 45: Hester enjoyed her afternoon immensely
- 46: Annie had again covered her face
- 47: Willis would certainly believe
- 48: I forgot all about the caricature
- 49: 'You see the caricature is not here
- 50: Calling Annie Forest to her side
- 51: Only I thought you'd like the lollipops
- 52: Willis and Miss Danesbury were to look after the school
- 53: Annie tossed the leaves on to the ground
- 54: And to leave Hester altogether under Mrs
- 55: Hester scarcely waited to finish her letter
- 56: In the school thoroughly sympathized with Hester
- 57: Nan want to see the pitty tibby toy
- 58: Willis distributed her valuable prizes
- 59: Willis looked a little surprised
- 60: Annie raised her full brown eyes
- 61: Willis in her heart of hearts considers Annie guiltless
- 62: But then Miss Danesbury called her
- 63: Meanwhile Hester was very busy
- 64: Hester prayed earnestly at these moments
- 65: Miss Danesbury will take the little children
- 66: Said Hester in a fretted voice
- 67: Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
- 68: Miss Danesbury gave her some milk and water
- 69: In a moment she was in the wagonette
- 70: Miss Danesbury arranged to spend that night in Nan's room
- 71: Miss Danesbury felt puzzled and distressed
- 72: Hetty is going to fetch Annie for Nan
- 73: And Nan would smile and look adoringly at Annie
- 74: Willis felt dreadfully puzzled
- 75: Poor tibby puss Nan loves 'oo
- 76: Nan want Annie Nan do want Annie
- 77: Exclaimed Phyllis and Nora Raymond
- 78: Meringues and cheesecakes and tartlets oh
- 79: Fully dressed and in her waterproof
- 80: That means a meringue and a half each
- 81: Rover gladly crunched up all the bones
- 82: My dears only sixpence apiece
- 83: But here Dora made no reply she kept her reason to herself
- 84: And being now positively certain of her gold locket
- 85: Hester was a very careful little student
- 86: My dear girl terribly hackneyed
- 87: Hester I thought you knew me better
- 88: Hester was a clever and sharp girl
- 89: When Susan Drummond and Mary Morris rushed up to her
- 90: And very nearly maddened poor Dora
- 91: Willis felt full sympathy for Dora
- 92: But to her surprise Hester did not stir
- 93: Were Annie Forest and Hester Thornton
- 94: Susan quickly found Phyllis and Nora
- 95: Surpassed herself in the delicious eatables she had provided
- 96: Lovey Moses is the lad's name
- 97: Annie had gone to Lavender House
- 98: All this Annie could have borne
- 99: The little missy thinks she ain't afraid of me
- 100: Gasped forth the agitated Moses
- 101: Annie rose languidly and began to dress herself
- 102: One girl was guilty of sin and would not confess
- 103: For the first time Annie raised her eyes to Mrs
- 104: Cecil walked slowly into the room
- 105: And they were very simple and straightforward
- 106: Hester had then to rouse herself
- 107: Until she remembered that Annie was in disgrace
- 108: Inquired Hester half impatiently
- 109: Dark gypsy has taken little Nan
- 110: Always turned upon the gypsies
- 111: Darkening Annie's brown skin to a real gypsy tone
- 112: Poor Annie almost ran down the street
- 113: Sefton and Oakley lay about six miles apart
- 114: Annie has gone herself to bring back Nan to you
- 115: Hester pressed her hand to her throbbing head
- 116: Hester had some difficulty in awakening Miss Drummond
- 117: The hay cocks became simply hay cocks
- 118: Annie dreaded the barking of the dogs
- 119: But for something else which Zillah
- 120: Tiger and Annie alone were motionless
- 121: For one moment Annie hesitated
- 122: Annie glanced around her in despair
- 123: Clasping Nan tightly in her arms
- 124: And the only one as is gypsy is the dawg
- 125: Willis talking to Miss Danesbury oh
- 126: Said a few words to Miss Danesbury
- 127: Turning apologetically to Hester
- 128: Everard opened the door for Hester
- 129: Susan Drummond sank down on the nearest seat
- 130: The next time Annie broke out with her piteous wail
- 131: If you belong to Lavender House
- 132: Oakley is some miles from here
- 133: But devoted himself first and foremost to Annie
- 134: Shares the adventures of Prince Charlie
- 135: He has many hairbreadth escapes
- 136: Henty has interwoven the adventures of an English youth
- 137: Henty has never published a more readable
- 138: All the details of the Ashanti campaign
- 139: The Cat of Bubastes A Story of Ancient Egypt