The seven year old daughter of diplomats posted to Peking "concocts a fantasy life as rich as her surroundings are bleak," and on one of her rounds, she meets a young Italian girl, Elena, who is "beautiful, aloof, disdainful of silly games. Our heroine is instantly infatuated, and comes to realize the only fight worthy of her energies is shattering Elena's indifference."--Jacket.