e, heartily hope she _won't_ get it.
Vivien Forrester, as she is, is quite bad enough, but Vivien Forrester
as head of the school would be the absolute limit."

"She'll be chosen all the same, you'll see. There really isn't anybody
else. When Lily Anderson left last term, she certainly thought Vivien
was going to be her successor. She showed her how to keep all the books
of the Clubs and Guilds, so that she could slide into the work easily.
And Vivien's such a sport at hockey, too!"

"Um! I don't know. She has such a jolly good opinion of her own
cleverness, but the question is whether Miss Kingsley exactly shares it
or not. Hello! Hold me up! Here comes the Duchess herself, as large as
life!"

The girl who advanced briskly from the rhododendron walk would have been
good looking, but she was spoilt by a rather rabbity mouth and large
teeth. Her complexion was clear, her brown eyes were bright, and her
auburn hair was abundant. She held herself with the confidence of one
who has so far found life an unqualified success. In her wake followed a
little train of courtiers: Sybil Snow, Nellie Appleby, Mona Parker,
Phoebe Gibson, and Adelaide Brookfield, all eager sycophants craving
her favour, and doing their utmost to ingratiate themselves.

"I tell you I can't promise anything!" Vivien was saying. "Naturally the
head of the school has the power to appoint any secretaries she likes,
but it'll be time enough to decide these things afterwards. I wish you
wouldn't bother me so! There'll be a proper Committee meeting on Friday
to arrange the Societies, and you must just wait till then."

"But if anybody speaks to you about it in the meantime, you'll remember
it's the Dramatic I'm keenest on?" urged Phoebe plaintively.

"I tell you again, I can't promise--but--well, I'll do my best for you,
at any rate."

"What's this about the Dramatic?" broke in Dorothy Skipton, who, arm in
arm with Patsie Sullivan, had joined the group. "Do you mean to say
you're arranging the Societies beforehand? Really, Vivien Forrester, of
all cool cheek I call this the very limit! Who said _you_ were going to
be head girl, I should like to know?"

Two red spots flared into Vivien's cheeks.

"Nobody said so!" she retorted. "Certainly _I_ didn't, though I dare say
I've as good a chance as anybody else. I don't see why you need catch me
up like this."

"Little bit tall to be promising posts till you're certain you're top
dog!" laughed Patsie. "Ol