"Oh no, none at all. She was absolutely defiant and seemed quite hardened."
"But why should she be? She hasn't been so here; unapproachable and moody, yes, and sometimes mischievous, but nothing worse."
"That was what I could not understand. Now that I know the cause it seems hardly credible that a child should be affected in such a peculiar way," and again Allison settled herself down in her chair to listen as the Principal went on talking.
CHAPTER XV
ALLISON TELLS A STORY
When tea was over the Fifth, surprised by the news that Allison wished to speak to them in the common room before they settled down to their evening's prep, made their way thither in groups of twos and threes. Monica was among the company, having left the sick-room that afternoon, though excused from school work till the following morning. Everyone was standing about in groups, wondering what Allison had to say to them, when the Head Girl herself entered the room as brisk and cheerful as ever.
"You all seem to be here, I see. Let's settle down round the fire. Pull out the hassocks, some of you. I've brought some chestnuts mother sent me yesterday, and you can roast them while you listen to what I've got to tell you."
"It isn't a lecture, is it?" asked Ida apprehensively, as they all scrambled to secure seats round the fire.
"Lecture? Oh, no. I'm merely going to tell you a little story. Prinny was going to tell it to you, then she suggested you might like to hear it from me instead and I just jumped at the chance. I love telling stories and this is a true one. Only you must all promise not to interrupt till I've quite finished, or you'll make me lose the thread of it."
"Yes, we promise. Go on, please," came in an eager chorus, for everybody there knew that Allison had quite a genius for telling stories.