This newcomer must have been eighteen or nineteen--a "big girl" indeed in Nancy's eyes. And such a pretty girl! The "greeny" had never in her life seen so pretty a girl before.

She was dark, her eyes were black, her hair was banded about her head, and her lips were so red that they might have been painted. But her color was natural--cheeks as well as lips. A flashing, cheerful countenance she turned on Nancy, and she said, before she reached the foot of the stairs:

"You're a new girl, I am sure. Hasn't anybody spoken to you? Where do you want to go?"

The mere tone of this girl's voice seemed to change the atmosphere that had so depressed Nancy. That lump was in her throat again, but she could smile at the serene beauty.

"I was told to see Madame Schakael--before having dinner. But I don't know where to find her," confessed Nancy.

"Oh, that's easy," cried the other girl. "I'll show you. What is your name, please?"

Nancy told her.

"I am Corinne Pevay," said the other, p.r.o.nouncing her name in the French manner. "I am a senior. I hope you will be happy here, Nancy Nelson."

"Thank you!" gasped the younger girl, having hard work now to keep from crying. The kind word moved her more than the neglect of the other girls.

Corinne led the way to one of the doors and opened it composedly.

Through a richly furnished anteroom she preceded the new girl and knocked lightly upon another doer.

"Enter!" responded a pleasant voice.

Corinne turned the k.n.o.b, looked in, said "Good-evening!" brightly, and then stood aside for Nancy to pa.s.s her.

"Another newcomer, Madame--Nancy Nelson."

"Come in, too, Corinne," said the pleasant voice.

Nancy pa.s.sed through and saw the owner of the voice. She was a little lady--a veritable doll-like person. She sat on a high chair at a desk-table, with her tiny feet upon a ha.s.sock, for they could not reach the floor.

"Come hither, Nancy Nelson. You are the girl of whom my good friend, Miss Prentice, of the Higbee School, wrote me? I am glad to see you, child," declared Madame Schakael.

Her hair was a silvery gray, but there was a lot of it, and her complexion was as rosy as Nancy's own. She must have pa.s.sed the half-century mark some time before, but the princ.i.p.al of Pinewood Hall betrayed few marks of the years in her face.

She had shrewd gray eyes, however, and rather heavy brows. Nancy thought at once that no girl would undertake to take advantage of Madame Schakael, despite her diminutive size. Those eyes could see right through shams, and her lips were firm.

She took Nancy's hand and drew the girl around to her side. There she studied the newcomer's face earnestly, and in silence.

"We have here one of the sensitive ones, Corinne," she said, at last, speaking to the senior instead of to Nancy. "But she is 'true blue.' She will make a fine Pinewood girl--yes, yes!

"We will try to make her happy here--though she does not look entirely happy now," and Madame laughed in a quick, low way that pleased the new girl vastly.

"Ah! there she smiles. Nancy Nelson, you look much prettier when you smile--cultivate smiling, therefore. That must be your first lesson here at Pinewood Hall.

"Happiness is born of making other people happy. See if you can't do someone a good turn every day. You'll get along splendidly that way, Nancy.

"Now, as for the lessons--you stood well in your cla.s.ses at Higbee. You will find it no harder to stand well here, I am sure. I shall expect to hear good reports of you. Cla.s.ses begin day after to-morrow.

"Meanwhile, make yourself at home about the Hall; learn your way about; get acquainted--especially with the members of your own cla.s.s. I shall put Nancy Nelson on your side of the Hall, Corinne--the West Side."

"Then I'll take her right up and show her the room. What is it to be, Madame?" asked Corinne, cheerfully.

The princ.i.p.al ran through several pages of a ledger before replying.

"Number 30, West."

"She's chummed with Miss Rathmore, then," said the older girl, quickly.

"Yes. I must break up that clique. Put her with Miss Rathmore. And do see that the child has some dinner; she must be hungry," said the Madame, laughing again.

Then she once more shook Nancy's hand.

"Go with Corinne, dear. If you want to know anything, ask her. Read the rules of the Hall, which you will find framed in your room. If you obey them cheerfully, you can't go far wrong. Good-night, Nancy Nelson! and I hope you will sleep well your first night at Pinewood Hall."

CHAPTER IX

CORA RATHMORE

Nancy followed the senior out of the princ.i.p.al's presence, feeling much encouraged. Madame Schakael was so different from Miss Prentice, the princ.i.p.al of the school at which Nancy had lived so many years.

"Isn't she just the sweetest woman you ever met?" demanded Corinne, enthusiastically.

"She is lovely," responded Nancy.

"But she is firm. Don't try to take any advantage of her," laughed the senior. "You will find that she is only doll-like in appearance. She is a very scholarly woman, and she believes strongly in discipline. But she gets effects without dealing out much punishment. You'll learn."

"I hope I won't need to learn her stern side," said Nancy, smiling.

"Well, you seem a sensible kid," said the older girl, patting her on the shoulder. "Come on, now, and have your dinner. Then I'll take you up into our side of the hall."

"I hope I am not taking up your time too much, Miss--Miss Pevay," said Nancy.

"Not at all," laughed the senior. "What is the good of being boss of a 'side' if one has no responsibilities? It's an honor to be captain of the West Side of Pinewood Hall."

"Oh! it must be," agreed Nancy, who thought this beautiful girl a very great person indeed.

They came to the long room in which the tables were set. There were only a few girls in the room. Nancy at once saw the Montgomery girl and her friends at one table, but was glad that Miss Pevay did not approach them.

Indeed, Corinne took her to one of the senior tables where two or three of the older pupils of Pinewood were grouped.

"Here's a little 'greeny' who has come among us hungry," laughed the senior, urging Nancy into a chair and beckoning to one of the waitresses.

The other big girls were kind to the newcomer; but they had interests of their own and what they chatted about was all "Greek" to Nancy Nelson.

So she gave her strict attention to the food.