'No, I can't; I haven't got the gift. I have got _no_ gift except my
love for you. Oh, kiss me, Hollyhock; kiss me!'

Hollyhock endured a moat fervent embrace. A voice in the distance was
heard saying, 'Little fool. _I_ cannot stand that nonsense!'

'Who is talking?' said Leucha, standing back, her face assuming its old
unpleasant expression.

'Oh, nobody worth thinking of, dear,' said Hollyhock, who knew quite
well, however, that Margaret Drummond was the speaker. Margaret had
not been friendly to her--not in the old passionate, worshipful
way--since the night of the ghostie. Hollyhock's present object,
however, was to get Leucha to put down her name for the essay,
explaining to her how great would be the glory of the happy winner of
the diamond locket.

'You may be sure it is worth trying for,' said Hollyhock, 'for the
brave old Duke never does anything by halves.'

'Ah, kiss me, kiss me,' said Leucha. 'I'd do anything for you; you
know that.'

'I do; but we won't have much time for kissing when we are busy over
our different tasks. I 'll help you a good bit with your essay,
Leuchy. There's no name given to the subject, so what do you say to
calling it "The Kitchen Cat"?'

'Oh, my word! I was angry with you then,' said Leucha.

'So you were, my bonnie dearie, and I only did it out of the spirit of
mischief; but I can instruct you _right_ well in the ways of the
kitchen cat.'

'I 've always hated cats,' said Leucha.

'You cannot hate wee Jean, and I'll tell you all her bonnie ways.'

'What subject are you going to take yourself, Holly?'

'Oh, I--I 'm in the _danger zone_,' said Hollyhock, with a light laugh.

'It terrifies me even now to think of that ghost!'

'Don't be frightened, Leuchy. He means no harm, and he will not
trouble you again. So don't you trouble your bonnie head, but win the
glorious prize by an essay on the kitchen cat. I can assure you no one
else will choose _that_ subject, so you have the field to yourself, and
well you'll do the work. Don't I _know_ that you 'll get the beauteous
prize with the Duke's crest on it, in the stones that sparkle and
shine?'

'Mother would like that well,' said Leucha. 'She would be just
delighted.'

'Then try for your mother's sake, as well as your own.'

'And you _will_ help me, Holly?'

'To be sure I will. There 's no rule against one girl helping another.
I 'll show you the way it 's to be done, and with your brains, Leuchy,