d her gladness
was not very deep, because a sense of great satisfaction swept over her
as she remembered, she had kicked, really kicked, big John Brown.

CHAPTER IX

DOROTHEA'S FRIENDS

Alma Montague, a wealthy doctor's daughter; Elsie and Minnie Stevenson,
daughters of a Queensland squatter; and Nellie Harden, only child of a
Supreme Court Judge, were Dorothea Bruce's "intimate" friends. Mona
Parbury was her only "bosom" friend. Thus she defined them herself when
speaking of them to members of her family and to the girls themselves,
who were one and all eager to stand a "bosom" friend to pretty Thea
Bruce as they called her.

The difference between an "intimate" friend and a "bosom" friend is too
subtle to be described, but school-girls all the world over, and those
who have left school days just behind them, will know and understand.

Mona Parbury was one week older than Dorothea and one inch (they
measured upon the verandah wall) taller. Her waist was two sizes larger;
her boots and gloves were three. In every way she was cast in a
different mould from Dorothea. She was a heavily built girl, who looked
at sixteen as though her teens were a year or two behind her. Her
features were pronounced--high cheek-bones, square chin, high forehead;
her hair was black and straight and plentiful, and she wore it in a
heavy plait down her back. Her eyes were brown, clear, faithful, good
eyes, and her mouth was distinctly large and ill-shaped.

Such was Mona in the days when Dorothea loved her--in the days when
Dorothea told her all her hopes, and dreams, and often very foolish
thoughts; when she made her the heroine of her stories; and wrote little
poems to her as--"her love"--and little loving letters if the cruel fate
which sometimes hovers over such friendships separated them for half a
day.

We have seen Dorothea before. She was small and fairy-like;
slender-waisted and light in movement. Her hair was golden and curly,
and was usually worn quite loose about her shoulders; her eyes were blue
and sunshiny and lashed by dark curling lashes; her mouth was small and
red, and her complexion delicate pink and white. All of her "intimate"
friends gave her the frankest admiration--they all loved her, and they
were all eager to stand first with her.

But it was Mona who loved her the most. Mona who kept and treasured
every one of the little "private" notes sent to her by Dot. She worked
out all her most troublesome sum