OLVE.

The whole circumstances of the case kept Jasmine wide awake during the
greater part of the night. She slept and woke again, and each time she
slept she saw a picture of her naughty sister Hollyhock and of that
unpleasant girl, Leucha Villiers, clinging together as though they
were, and always would be, the very greatest of friends.

Now Leucha, in her way, was quite as troublesome an inmate of the
school as was Hollyhock; but whereas Hollyhock was the life and darling
of the school, Leucha, the uninteresting, the lonely, the proud, the
defiant, the cold, cold English girl, chose to be alone with the single
exception of a friend, who was as uninteresting as herself.

Hollyhock, in the most extraordinary--yes, there is no doubt of it--in
the most _naughty_ way, had brought Leucha round to her side. But if
Leucha were told the truth that a hoax had been played upon her, that
there was no real ghost, then indeed her wrath would burn fiercely;
and, in fact, to put it briefly, there would start in the school a
profound feud. Several of the girls, more especially the English
girls, would go over to Leucha's side. Yes, without the slightest
doubt, a great deal of mischief would be done if she were told. Poor
little Jasmine had never before been confronted by so great a problem.
Hitherto in her sweet, pure life right had been right and wrong wrong;
but now what was right?--what _was_ wrong?

She turned restlessly and feverishly on her pillow, and got up very
early in the morning, hoping to have a quiet talk first with Hollyhock,
then with Margaret Drummond. She was not particularly concerned about
Margaret, who naturally followed the lead of a strong character like
Hollyhock's. Nevertheless, she had left her the night before in such
stress of mind that whatever happened, whatever course they pursued,
she must be soothed and comforted.

Jasmine was relieved to find Hollyhock standing outside Leucha's door.
Hollyhock looked quite wild and anxious.

'Oh, but it's I that have had an awful night, Jasmine!' she exclaimed.
'She has gone off into a sleep now, poor thing; but I never, never did
think that she would take this matter so to heart. We mustn't tell
her, Jasmine. It would kill her if she knew.'

'But, Holly, you really are incorrigible. How am I to go on in the
school if you play these terrible pranks?'

'It's the mischief in me joined to a bit o' the de'il,' retorted
Hollyhock. 'But she must _never_