nd if you will make yourself useful to me, I will be
good to you."

Susy turned and led the way in the direction of Cassandra Weldon's home.
They had to walk across a very wide field, then down a narrow lane, then
up a steep hill, and then into a valley. At the bottom of the valley was
a straight road, and at each side of the road were neat little
houses--small and very proper-looking. Each house consisted of two
stories, with a hall door in the middle and a sitting room on each side.
There were three windows overhead, and one or two attics in the roof.
The houses were very compact; they were new, and were called by
ambitious names. For instance, the house where the Weldons lived went by
the ambitious name of Sans Souci. All through the walk Susy chatted for
the benefit of her companion. She told Kathleen so much about her life
that she was interested in spite of herself! and by the time they
arrived outside Sans Souci, Kathleen's hand was lying affectionately on
her companion's arm.

"I had best not go in, miss," she said. "Cassandra Weldon would never
take the very least notice of me; and none of us foundation girls like
her at all."

"Well, it is extremely unfair," said Kathleen. "From all you have been
telling me, the foundation girls must be particularly clever. I tell you
what it is: I think I shall take to you."

"Oh, would you, indeed, miss?" said Susy, her eyes sparkling. "There are
a hundred of us, you know, in the school."

"That is a great number. And Ruth Craven is really one?"

"She is, miss. She isn't a bit better than the rest of us."

"And I love her already."

"She is no better than the rest of us," repeated Susan Hopkins.

"I have a great mind to take to you all, to make a fuss about you, and
to show the others how badly they behave."

"You'd be a queen amongst us; there's no doubt about that."

"It would be lovely, and it would be a tremendous bit of naughtiness,"
thought Kathleen.

"Do you think you will, miss? Because, if you do, I will tell the
others. We could meet you and talk over things."

"Well, I will decide to-morrow. I will enclose a letter with your
brooch. Good-bye now; I must go in and kiss my darling Ruth."

Susy Hopkins stood for a minute to watch Kathleen as she went up the
little narrow path of Sans Souci. When Kathleen reached the porch she
waved her hand, and Susy, putting wings to her feet, ran as fast as she
could in the opposite direction. She felt very much el