strangely conquered.

'We must make a woman of her,' said Hollyhock. 'She is naught in life
but a cringing kitchen cat at present, but it is our bounden duty to
turn her into something better. How shall we set to work, lassies?'

The Flower Girls considered. Jasmine inquired anxiously if Leucha was
clever in any particular branch.

'No,' said Hollyhock; 'she could not even make a ghostie.'

'Well, can we not pretend that she is clever?' said Gentian.

'That's a good notion,' exclaimed Hollyhock. 'I have heard whispers
that there are big prizes to be given in the school by the Duke to the
girls that are best in different subjects. _We_ don't want prizes, not
we; but that little Leuchy, she 'd be up to her eyes with joy if we
were to set her trying for a prize. I 'm thinking that Mrs Macintyre
will declare the nature of the prizes very soon. After prayers
to-morrow I 'll set Leuchy on to try for one. I 'll help her, if I
can, privately. She has got what I have not, and that's ambition. I
can work on that; and, lassies, it will be a great relief to me, for I
hate--I _hate_ being purred on and kissed all day long. I must put up
with it; but it's trying, seeing my own nature is contrariwise to that.'

The five girls talked a while of the coming prizes.

Leucha was now under the charge of Jasper, and they got on tolerably
well, for Jasper would do anything in the world for Hollyhock, and as
Hollyhock was the only love of Leucha's life, she talked on no other
subject whatsoever to the lad.

'Well,' he exclaimed, 'you surely don't tell me that you kiss
her--_kiss_ Holly!--and she so prickly with thorns?'

'Indeed, I do, Jasper. She loves my kisses; she would not take them
from any one else.'

'Wonders will never cease,' said Jasper. 'I would not disgrace the
bonnie dear by stupid old kisses.'

'But you are a boy, Jasper. You 're quite different,' said Leucha.

'Well, I'm thinking not so very. I'm first cousin to her, remember,
which happens to be next door to brother. But there, let's talk of
something else. What mischief is the dear up to now?'

Leucha related a few harmless little pranks, for Hollyhock did not dare
to give vent to her real spirit of mischief while Leucha clung round
her like the kitchen cat.

The next day Leucha and the Flower Girls returned to the school, and,
as Hollyhock had predicted, Mrs Macintyre called her flock around her
and said that she had an announcement to make r