ed by thick black lashes. Her hair grew low on her brow and
curled itself into little rings here, there, and everywhere. In
addition, it was extremely long and thick, and, when not tied up with a
ribbon, fell far below her waist. Hollyhock had pearly-white teeth, a
very short upper lip, and a certain disdainful, never-may-care
appearance, which was very fetching to most girls.

The hour for the reassembling of the girls at Ardshiel was nine
o'clock, and Hollyhock, although her heart was beating furiously,
showed not a scrap of nervousness, but gazed dauntlessly and with a
fine defiance around her. Everywhere and in all directions she found
eyes fixed on her--blue eyes, gray eyes, brown eyes, light eyes, dark
eyes, the eyes of the pale-faced English, the glowing eyes of a few
French girls; but she felt quite assured in her own heart that there
was not one in that great group who could compare with herself.
Hollyhock, or, in other words, Jacqueline Lennox.

She resolved quickly (and Hollyhock's resolutions, once formed, were
hard to break) that _she_ would be _captain_ of this great school; she
would lead, and the others would follow, no matter the colour of their
eyes, no matter the complexions, no matter the thin, pale faces, or the
fat, rosy faces. These things were all one to Hollyhock. She would
compel these girls; they would follow her willy-nilly where _she_
wished and where _she_ dared to go. She knew well that she was not
clever in book-learning, but she also knew well that she had the great
gift of leadership; she would be the leader here. She rejoiced in the
fact that all the girls were staring at her. She would go carefully to
work and soon secure a band of followers, who would increase by-and-by,
becoming extremely obstreperous and doing all sorts of naughty things,
for Holly had no intention when at school to be good or to learn much.
She went solely and entirely for her own happiness, because she
preferred the girls with the blue, gray, and nondescript eyes to the
kitchen cat, Jean, and to the great loneliness which had descended on
The Garden.

Such a girl as Hollyhock could not but attract attention, and the Lady
Barbara Fraser, Miss Agnes Featherstonhaugh, and many others became
fascinated on the very first day. But Hollyhock, on that first day,
was outwardly meek. She was good, except for her flashing eyes; she
was good, except for the sudden and very queer smile which played round
her pre