nt from the equipment of an ordinary
English schoolgirl, and aroused as much interest as their owner. First
there were the portraits of her mother, of her stepfather, Mr. Greville,
and of the little half-brothers and sisters--Bertram, Nina, Vincent, and
Luigia--taken by an Italian photographer in wonderfully artistic poses,
and with classic backgrounds of pillars and palm trees. Then there were
fascinating snapshots of her home, a white Sicilian house with a
vine-covered veranda, and its lovely half-tropical garden with fountains
and statues and pomegranate blossom, and trees hung with ripe oranges
and lemons. Carmel's things seemed nearly all foreign. Her nightdress
case was of drawn linen beautifully embroidered by the nuns at a
convent; her work-box was of inlaid wood from Sorrento; the trinkets on
her dressing-table were Italian; her clothes and shoes bore the names of
Paris shops. Some of the books she had brought with her were in French;
the calendar that hung on her wall held pictures of Naples and Vesuvius.

Carmel was undoubtedly a most unusual combination of two nationalities.
Though in some respects she was English enough, there was a certain
little gracious dignity and finish about her manners that was peculiarly
southern. Clifford, with a child's true instinct, had named her
"Princess." She was indeed "royal" with that best type of good breeding
which gives equal courtesy to all, be it queen or beggar. In the school
she was soon an immense favorite. The girls admired her attitude towards
Lilias and Dulcie. If she had posed as the heiress of the Chase, they
would probably have "sat upon her" thoroughly, but, as she never put
forward her claims in that respect, they were disposed to show her
decided consideration, all the more so as she was visibly fretting for
her Sicilian home. She put a brave face on things in the day-time, but
at night she would be caught crying, and her eagerness for letters was
pathetic.

"Poor child! She's like an exotic plant transferred to a northern soil!"
said Miss Walters. "We must try to settle her somehow. It won't do for
her to go about with dark rings round her eyes. I wonder how we could
possibly interest her? I don't believe our school happenings appeal to
her in the least."

Certainly the new-comer went through the ordinary routine of classes,
walks, and games without any display of enthusiasm. Gowan Barbour tried
to coach her at cricket, but the result was not successful