Produced by Al Haines. [Illustration: Cover] The STORY BOOK GIRLS CHRISTINA GOWANS WHYTE LONDON HENRY FROWDE HODDER & STOUGHTON 1906 *THE GIRLS’ NEW 1/- NET. LIBRARY.* (Crown 8vo. Cloth, with Coloured frontispiece.) A Girl of the Northland . . . BY BESSIE MARCHANT The Story Book Girls . . . . . BY CHRISTINA G. WHYTE Dauntless Patty . . . . . . . BY E. L. HAVERFIELD Tom Who Was Rachel . . . . . . BY J. M. WHITFELD A Sage of Sixteen . . . . . . BY L. B. WALFORD The Beauforts . . . . . . . . BY L. T. MEADE HENRY FROWDE AND HODDER & STOUGHTON. CONTENTS CHAPTER I ELMA LEIGHTON CHAPTER II MISS ANNIE CHAPTER III THE FLOWER SHOW TICKET CHAPTER IV CUTHBERT CHAPTER V "THE STORY BOOKS" CALL CHAPTER VI THE MAYONNAISE CHAPTER VII VISITORS AGAIN CHAPTER VIII THE PARTY CHAPTER IX AT MISS GRACE’S CHAPTER X COMPENSATIONS CHAPTER XI THE SPLIT INFINITIVE CHAPTER XII THE BURGLAR CHAPTER XIII A RECONCILIATION CHAPTER XIV THE FIRST PEAL CHAPTER XV THE ARRIVAL CHAPTER XVI THE THIN EDGE OF THE WEDGE CHAPTER XVII A REPRIEVE CHAPTER XVIII "LOVE OF OUR LIVES" CHAPTER XIX HERR SLAVSKA CHAPTER XX THE SHILLING SEATS CHAPTER XXI AT LADY EMILY’S CHAPTER XXII THE ENGAGEMENT CHAPTER XXIII HOLDING THE FORT CHAPTER XXIV THE HAM SANDWICH CHAPTER XXV THE WILD ANEMONE CHAPTER XXVI UNDER ROYAL PATRONAGE CHAPTER XXVII THE HOME-COMING CHAPTER XXVIII ADELAIDE MAUD CHAPTER XXIX MR. SYMINGTON CHAPTER XXX "NOW HERE THERE DAWNETH----" CHAPTER I Elma Leighton In a pink and white bedroom where two beds, Elma’s and Betty’s, seemed the only pink and white things unspotted by multitudinous photographs, Elma Leighton sought sanctuary. Pursued by a tumultuous accusing conscience, which at the same time gracefully extended the uncertain friendliness of hope, for who could say--it might still be "embarr*ass*ment," she opened her little own bright red dictionary. She prayed a trifling prayer that her self-esteem might be saved, as she turned shakingly the fine India paper of the 50,000 word compressed edition of the most reliable friend she at that moment possessed in the world. Parents commanded. Relations exaggerated. Chums could be spiteful. But friends told the truth; and the dictionary--being invariably just--was above all things a friend. She wandered to "en," forgetting in the championship of her learning that "m" held priority. She corrected herself with dignity, and at last found the word she wanted.