in fact, it was next door. She could, therefore, be on the _qui
vive_, and meant to be.

The 'conspiracy' had begun, and she had no idea of shifting any blame
from her own shoulders. She wished to punish Leucha, and punish her
she would. Yes, the 'conspiracy' had begun.

She went softly downstairs, followed by a trail of tittering girls, who
hardly knew how to restrain themselves.

'Whist, can't you? Whist!' said Hollyhock. 'Do you want to spoil the
whole thing by unseemly mirth? Now, then, mum's the word. Wee Jeanie
shall sleep in my room to-night; but I somehow fancy that I have shown
Leuchy who means to be head of the school.'

CHAPTER XV.

CREAM.

The kitchen cat was a very gentle beastie, except in the matter of
killing birds and mice. She had the usual fascination of her species
where these small victims were concerned; and she enjoyed life in the
way cats do, eating when hungry, and sleeping the rest of her days.
She slept now with the greatest comfort under the silken eider-down
quilt. She rejoiced in the welcome warmth and purred softly to
herself, not even troubling to regard the saucer of cream until she had
had her snooze. By-and-by she would attack her cream, being partial to
that beverage; but for the present she would slumber on, a creature
without care, without fear; a gentle, admirable kitchen cat. She
brought up her families when they arrived with all a mother's rectitude
and propriety, and when they were old enough to leave her, got rid of
them as quickly as possible--which means that she took no further
notice of them. She regarded them no longer as hers; they were cats,
and she preferred them out of the way. At the present time she had
just reared and got rid of a large family, and was in that luxurious
state of bliss when the good things of life appealed to her. Her
purring went on for some time, then ceased, being followed by deep
slumber.

Meanwhile Hollyhock and her chosen companions were amusing themselves
in various ways downstairs. Supper would be to the minute at a quarter
to nine. Supper was a very simple meal, a stand-up affair, consisting
in winter of hot bread-and-milk, in summer of cold milk and biscuits.

The Lady Leucha thought her supper a very poor affair, but she was too
cold, after her vain attempts to light the fire in the Summer Parlour,
to resist the steaming-hot, delicious milk. She took it standing up
not far from Hollyhock. She resolved in