as she called the
Duke, and flashed her bright, sparkling, naughty eyes into his face,
and talked nonsense to him, which filled his Grace with delight.
Little did Miss Delacour guess or Mrs Macintyre conceive that it was
because of this brave lassie, and because of her alone, that the great
Palace of the Kings had been turned into a school.

The Duke came to Ardshiel on this occasion with his heart beating a
trifle loud for so old a man. He cared little or nothing for the other
girls; but he would see his favourite, and secretly he had resolved
that the diamonds in the locket which she was sure to win should be
larger, finer, more brilliant than those which were presented to the
other girls.

But, alack and alas, what horrible news met him! The head-mistress,
Mrs Macintyre, came out with tears in her eyes to tell him what had
occurred in the watches of the night. The Duke, a white-haired old
man, looked very solemn as he listened. His heart was sick within him.

'Now, listen,' he said when he could find his voice. 'Is there danger
of her life?'

'We don't know; we are not sure,' said Mrs Macintyre. 'She is at
present in a very high fever, and the doctor has been to see her, your
Grace.'

'I tell you, madam, that I 'll send, at my own expense, for the best
doctors in Edinburgh, even in London. That lassie's life has _got_ to
be saved, and my pocket is wide open for the purpose. I wonder, now,
if I could peep at her. I 'd very much like to.'

'I greatly fear not to-day, your Grace. She has to be kept very quiet.'

'Ah, well! The bravery of the girl! Who else but herself would ride
Lightning Speed with the moon at the full? Here's her locket. I chose
it a little finer than the others, because she 's a finer lass, and I
guessed her deed of daring would _be_ a deed of daring, truly. Keep it
for her, madam, and send for the specialists.'

The Duke abruptly left the house, and Mrs Macintyre, with her eyes full
of tears, put Hollyhock's special locket aside without even opening it,
and gave orders in the Duke's name that the greatest doctors be
summoned to the bedside of the sick girl. Then she called her most
esteemed English teacher to her side.

'You must do it, my dear,' she said.

'Do what, dear Mrs Macintyre?'

'Why, I'm nearly as much broken down as the Duke. The poor lassie!
You have read the essays, and know the deeds of daring, and have gone
through the different subjects very carefully