olly! She
would see to it that the child entered Ardshiel, when her boys and the
three strange boys left the Palace of the Kings.

CHAPTER X.

A MISERABLE GIRL.

Whether or not Hollyhock took a chill on that night when she peeped in
at the gay group at Ardshiel can never be quite established, but
certain it is that when her four sisters--those beloved and yet
traitorous sisters--rushed wildly back to The Garden on the following
Saturday afternoon, they found Hollyhock lying in bed, perhaps cross,
perhaps ill; anyhow, to all appearance, quite indifferent to their
presence.

Jasmine stood and stared at her sister in amazement. So also did
Gentian and Rose and Delphinium. What could be the matter with their
flower maid, their darling?

On their return home they were greeted by the information that the
master was away on business, and that Miss Hollyhock was upstairs.

'In bed, I take it,' said old Duncan. 'It seems a pity for her not to
be down to greet ye, my dearies, but I do declare I canna make out what
ails her. She's poorly, the dear lass; but she 'll no say that she's
ill.'

'But where is father, Duncan?' asked Jasmine in a dazed sort of voice.

'Oh, the maister! He is weel enough, but he is that taken up wi' the
work o' Lord Ian Douglas that he canna gie much time to his lonesome
child. You must get her to school, Miss Jasmine; you must get her to
school, Miss Gentian.'

'Of course we must, Duncan,' said Jasmine; 'and, oh! it is a right
splendid school.'

'I'm thinkin' that mysel',' said Duncan, 'for Magsie, she came ower one
nicht and declared that there was not the like o' Ardshiel in the
length and breadth o' bonnie Scotland. But dear, dear, I was like to
forget. The maister, guid man, gave me a letter which he wrote this
mornin' to you, Miss Jasmine, and you was to have it at once.'

'Thank you, Duncan. I 'll take the letter and go at once to Hollyhock.'

The letter in question was read by all four girls at once, and was
simply to the effect that the young Precious Stones would dine with
them on the morrow, as well as Master Ivor Chetwode. In fact, Mr
Lennox had already written a letter to Mrs Macintyre, acquainting her
with his desire.

'Then that's all right,' said Jasmine. 'Dad did get my letter. I was
a bit surprised at his being so long in answering it. Well, we 'll go
to Hollyhock now. Poor Ivor would have been terribly disappointed if
he had been left out of The Gar