e.
Mrs Macintyre, having never heard of it, declared emphatically that it
was not true; but, somehow, neither Lady Leucha nor the Fraser girls
quite believed her. There was such a ring of truth in Hollyhock's
words; and had they not all heard, on that first happy evening at the
school, the cry, so shrill, so piercing, '_The ghost! the ghost!_'

They had tried not to think of it since, but Hollyhock seemed to
confirm the weird words, and they began to wonder if they could stay
long in this school, which, beautiful as it was, contained such an
awful ghost--a ghost who required a little girl to dry his locks for
him. Surely such a terrible thing could not happen! It was quite past
belief.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE SUMMER PARLOUR.

If there was a girl who was at once slightly frightened and extremely
angry, that girl was Leucha Villiers, the daughter of the Earl of
Crossways. Never, never before had any overtures on her part been
treated as Hollyhock had treated them. If this saucy black-eyed imp
intended to rule the school, she, Leucha, would show her what she
thought of her conduct. She would not be ruled by her. She would, in
short, show her once and for all her true position. Little Scotch
nobody, indeed! Well, the angry Leucha knew how to proceed.

Leucha was considered by her friends and by her numerous acquaintances
a most charming girl, a girl with such aristocratic manners, such a
noble presence, such a gentle, firm, distinguished air. She had been,
during her first week at school, very happy on the whole, for Jasmine,
and Gentian, and Rose, and Delphinium had more or less bowed down to
her and admired her. But now there appeared on the scene a totally
different character--Hollyhock! How ridiculous to call any human being
by such a name! But then it wasn't her real name; her name was
Jacqueline. She, Lady Leucha, would certainly not call her Hollyhock,
or prickly Holly, or anything of that sort. She would call her Jack
and Jacko, and tease her as much as possible. She had certainly spoken
of the ghost in her ridiculous Scotch accent, but Leucha Villiers,
after careful consideration, determined not to be afraid of pure
nonsense. Was there ever a girl in creation who dried a ghost's
dripping hair? The whole thing was too silly.

In accordance with Mrs Maclure's promise, a great many fresh girls had
arrived, and the full number of seventy was now nearly made up. It
would be quite made up by