Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/manorschool00mead THE MANOR SCHOOL by MRS. L. T. MEADE Author of "A Bunch of Cherries," "Daddy's Girl," "The Time of Roses," "Bad Little Hannah," etc., etc. [Illustration: Decoration] The Mershon Company Rahway, N. J. New York Copyright, 1903, by The Mershon Company CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE ATTIC OF DESIRE, 1 II. THE MYSTERY, 9 III. A WILD SCHEME, 15 IV. GRANDMOTHER'S DINNER, 28 V. CHANGE OF A SOVEREIGN, 41 VI. SIX LONG YEARS, 49 VII. "THE REFORMATORY SCHOOL IS THE PUNISHMENT FOR ME," 57 VIII. PLAY-ACTING, 67 IX. A NIGHT IN THE SLUMS, 80 X. JUDITH FORD, 92 XI. LITTLE PROVIDENCES, 102 XII. GOING TO SCHOOL, 112 XIII. THE MANOR SCHOOL, 124 XIV. SCHOOLGIRLS, 134 XV. THE ORDEAL AND THE VICTIM, 145 XVI. SUSAN MARSH, 158 XVII. THE BOUDOIRS, 169 XVIII. "I AM AFRAID," 179 XIX. DAWSON'S BILL, 189 XX. NOBLESSE OBLIGE, 197 XXI. STAR'S PURSE, 206 XXII. THE BOWLING-ALLEY, 214 XXIII. THE RESOLVE OF THE BODYGUARD, 220 XXIV. MISS PEACOCK, 228 XXV. THE LETTER, 248 XXVI. THE CLEW TO THE MYSTERY, 270 XXVII. GOD'S WILL, 293 XXVIII. GOOD NEWS, 299 XXIX. ROSE TO THE RESCUE, 309 XXX. A PRISONER IN THE TOOL-HOUSE, 320 XXXI. MIDNIGHT AT THE GREENGROCER'S, 328 XXXII. THE TRIUMPH OF GOODNESS, 334 THE MANOR SCHOOL CHAPTER I THE ATTIC OF DESIRE Christian Mitford was thirteen years of age. She was a tall girl with a pale face, a little pronounced in expression, and quantities of thick, untidy, very bright fair hair, which had a habit of tumbling in a great mass over her eyes and round her shoulders. She was supposed to be much spoilt, and it was well known she had a will of her own.