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She snubbed me, said Rosalind; she made little of me. I offered to do her a kindness, and she repulsed me. Who cares to be made little of, and repulsed?
Who, truly, Rosie? not even an innocent baby. Now then, my love, let me whisper a little secret to you. I have never loved Miss Oliphant. I have never been a victim to her charms. Time was when she and Miss Lee poor Annabel! ruled the whole of our Hall. Those two girls carried everything before them. That was before your day, Rose. Then Miss Lee died. She caught a chill, and had a fever, and was dead in a couple of days. Yes, of course, it was shocking. They moved her to the hospital, and she died there. Oh, there was such excitement, and such grief even I was sorry; for Annabel had a way about her, I cant describe it, but she could fascinate you. It was awfully interesting to talk to her, and even to look at her was a real pleasure. We used not to think much about Maggie when Annabel was by; but now, what with Maggie and her mystery, and Maggie and her love affair, and Maggie and her handsome face, and her wealth, and her expectations, why she bids fair to be more popular even than the two were when they were together. Yes, little Rose, I dont want her to be popular any more than you do. I think its a very unhealthy sign of
any place to have all the girls sighing and groaning about one or two dying to possess their autographs, and kissing their photographs, and framing them, and putting them up in their rooms. I hate that mawkish kind of nonsense, continued Miss Day, looking very virtuous, and I think Miss Heath ought to know about it, and put a stop to it. I do, really.
Rosalind was glad that the gathering darkness prevented her sharp companion from seeing the blush on her face; for amongst her own sacred possessions she kept an autograph letter of Maggies, and she had passionately kissed Maggies beautiful face as it looked at her out of a photograph, and, until the moment when all her feelings had undergone such a change, was secretly saving up her pence to buy a frame for it. Now she inquired eagerly
What is the mystery about Miss Oliphant? So many people hint about it, I do wish you would tell me, Annie.
If I told you, pet, it would cease to be a mystery.
But you might say what you know. Do , Annie!
Oh, it isnt much its really nothing; and yet and yet
You know it isnt nothing, Annie!
Well, when Annabel died, people said that Maggie had more cause than anyone else to be sorry. I never could find out what that cause was; but the servants spread some reports. They said they had found Maggie and Annabel together; Annabel had fainted, and Maggie was in an awful state of misery in quite an unnatural state, they said; she went into hysterics, and Miss Heath was sent for, and was a long time soothing her. There was no apparent reason for this, although, somehow or other, little whispers got abroad that the mystery of Annabels illness and Maggies distress was connected with Geoffrey Hammond. Of course, nothing was known, and nothing is known; but, certainly, the little whisper got into the air. Dear me, Rosalind, you need not eat me with your eyes. I am repeating mere conjectures, and it is highly probable that not the slightest notice would have been taken of this little rumour but for the tragedy which immediately followed. Annabel, who had been as gay and well as anyone at breakfast that morning, was never seen in the college again. She was unconscious, the servants said, for a long time, and when she awoke was in high fever. She was removed to the hospital, and Maggie had seen the last of her friend. Poor Annabel died in two days, and afterwards Maggie took the fever. Yes, she has been quite changed since then. She always had moods, as she called them, but not like now. Sometimes I think she is almost flighty.
Rosalind was silent. After a while she said, in a prim little voice, which she adopted now and then when she wanted to conceal her real feelings
But I do wonder what the quarrel was about I mean, what really happened between Annabel and Maggie.
Look here, Rosalind, have I said anything about a quarrel? Please remember that the whole thing is conjecture from beginning to end, and dont go all over the place spreading stories and making mischief. I have told you this in confidence, so dont forget.
I wont forget, replied Rosalind. I dont know why you should accuse me of wanting to make mischief, Annie. I cant help being curious, of course, and, of course, Id like to know more.
Well, for that matter, so would I, replied Annie. Where there is a mystery its much more satisfactory to get to the bottom of it. Of course, something dreadful must have happened to account for the change in Miss Oliphant. It would be a comfort to know the truth, and, of course, one need never talk of it. By the way, Rosie, you are just the person to ferret this little secret out; you are the right sort of person for spying and peeping.
Oh, thank you, replied Rosalind; if thats your opinion of me Im not inclined to do anything to please you. Spying and peeping, indeed! What next?