then, you will have the goodness to
tell the school in as few words as possible how you got that scratch on
your hand, and how Hollyhock got her poor face so swollen.'

'It was the cat,' muttered Leucha.

'The cat! What cat?' echoed from end to end of the long room.

'Leucha, hold your head up and tell your story. If you don't tell it
at once, without any more shirking, I shall have you locked up for the
day in your room.'

So Leucha, dreading this beyond anything--for a day in her room at the
present moment might mean anything--was forced to tell the story of the
previous night's adventure. She did tell it with all the venom of
which she was capable. She told it with her pale-blue eyes gleaming
spitefully. She was forced to go to the very bottom of the affair.

'It was a silly trick, girls,' said Mrs Macintyre when the tale had
come to an end, 'and Hollyhock suffered, because the daughter of the
Earl of Crossways very nearly broke her jaw. Well, I 'm here to do my
duty. Leucha has had to explain. Another girl would have taken what
occurred simply as a joke and made nothing of it; but I grieve to say
that such is not Leucha Villiers's way; and as Hollyhock _did_ do
wrong, and as Leucha particularly _wishes_ it, I am forced to punish
her by not allowing her to go home on Saturday. It seems a pity; but
justice is justice, and Hollyhock is the first to think that herself.'

'I am,' replied Hollyhock.

'That's a dear child; and now you will try not to get into further
mischief.'

But to this speech of kind Mrs Macintyre's Hollyhock made no answer,
for mischief was the breath of life to her, and to live without it was
practically to live without air, without food, without consolation.
She looked round the large and wondering school, and observed that all
eyes, with the exception of one pair, were fixed on her with great
compassion.

'Hollyhock,' said Mrs Macintyre, 'is your cheek very painful?'

'It hurts a bit,' said Hollyhock.

'Then I think I must ask Dr Maguire to call round and look at it.'

'Oh, don't, Mrs Macintyre! I deserved it--I did, truly.'

But Mrs Macintyre had her way, and although she set the other girls to
their tasks, she provided Hollyhock with an amusing book, and placed
her near a great fire until Dr Maguire arrived and examined the
much-swollen cheek.

'Why, you _have_ got a nasty blow, Miss Hollyhock,' he said. 'Did you
strike yourself against a tree, or something of that s