"I'm sure of it," murmured Miss Emmeline.
"We might possibly mention in our next circular the names of the noble families with which she has been associated in France."
"Certainly," echo answered.
So Mademoiselle de Courcelles was engaged.
Twenty-four hours later the new French teacher and three large trunks were installed in a small room on the top floor of the Ryder school. The size and number of the trunks excited comment among the servants, but the expressman who carried Mademoiselle's impedimenta up four flights of stairs noticed that the trunks were surprisingly light in weight.
From the first Mademoiselle was a success, and by the time she had spent a fortnight in the school her popularity among the girls moved many of the teachers to jealousy, and even wakened in Belinda's heart a slight sense of injury to which she wouldn't have confessed for worlds. Miss Barnes, herself impervious alike to adoration or disapproval, expressed her opinion of the new comer with her usual frankness.
"Cat!" she said calmly. "Graceful, sleek, purring, ingratiatory, but cat all the same."
"She's very attractive," murmured Belinda.
"Bad eyes," Miss Barnes commented curtly.
"Handsome eyes."