n studied in an oak-panelled chamber
with coats of arms emblazoned on the upper panes of the windows. It
was the fashion in the school to rejoice in the antique surroundings.
The girls took numerous photos, and printed picture post-cards to send
home to their families and friends, and everyone with the least
aptitude for drawing started a sketchbook. Like most ancient
buildings, the old hall, while preserving its principal rooms in good
repair, was growing shaky in the upper stories. The labyrinth of
attics that lay under the roof had been neglected till the latticed
windows were almost off their hinges, and the plaster had fallen in
great patches from the ceilings. Fearing lest the worm-eaten floors
were really unsafe, Miss Beasley had made the top story a forbidden
territory, and, to ensure her orders being obeyed, had placed a wire
door to shut it off from the rest of the house. This door was kept
locked, Miss Beasley and Miss Gibbs each having a key. Every day,
girls pressed inquisitive noses against the wire netting to peep at
the tantalizing prospect beyond. They could just see round the corner
of a winding oak staircase on to a dim, mysterious landing beyond.
Once or twice Miss Gibbs had gone to her attic laboratory and had left
the door open behind her, and a few bold spirits had ventured
upstairs, but, as the door of her room had also been wide open, they
had not dared to pass it and risk discovery, and had been obliged to
beat a hasty retreat. It was highly aggravating, for the vista of dark
passages looked most alluring.

"Couldn't we ask the Bumble to take us round the attics some Saturday
for a special treat?" suggested Ardiune.

"'Twouldn't be much fun going in a specially conducted party like a
crowd of tourists!" sniffed Raymonde. "We'd all have to stand at
attention while the Bumble gave a short lecture on the architecture or
the historical significance of some thingumbobs. It would just turn it
all into a lesson. What I want is to go and poke about on my own; and
I mean to some day!"

"Gibbie'd snap your head off if she caught you!"

"I don't intend to be caught."

It was all very well to lay plans, but another matter to carry them
out. Miss Gibbs usually locked the wire door behind her, only leaving
it open when she went upstairs to fetch something and meant to return
almost immediately. The mere fact of its difficulty increased
Raymonde's zest for the adventure. Her wild, harum-scarum spirits