egarding an arrangement
winch would be a yearly feature in the school. Six prizes of great
magnificence were to be awarded at the Christmas 'break-up.' These
were as follows:

(1) For efficiency in learning.

(2) For those games now so well known in schools.

(3) For the best essay of about one thousand words, the subject to be
selected by each girl herself. The only proviso was that she must not
tell the other girls who were competing what subject she had chosen;
otherwise an absolutely free choice was given, and even Mrs Macintyre
was not to know the subjects selected before the momentous day when the
papers were given in.

(4) A prize for good conduct generally.

(5) A prize for progress made in French, German, and Italian history
and conversation, the girls choosing, however, only one of these three
great languages.

(6) And, greatest of all, a prize was to be given--and here the
head-mistress could not help glancing for a brief moment at her dearly
loved Hollyhock--to one of the girls who was so brave that she feared
nothing, and so kind-hearted that she won the deep affection of the
entire school.

The prizes were the gift of the great Duke of Ardshiel, and were to
take the form of lockets with the Duke's own crest set on them in
sparkling diamonds. The girls were to choose their own subjects, and
in especial were to choose their own ordeal for the final test of
valour, no one interfering with them or influencing their choice.

These prizes the Duke promised to present year after year. One
condition he made--that a girl who won a gold and diamond locket might
try again, but could not win a second locket; if successful, she would
receive in its place what was called 'A Scroll of Honour,' which was to
be signed by the great Ardshiel himself.

Mrs Macintyre after this announcement requested her pupils to go at
once to their several tasks, only adding that she hoped to receive the
names of the girls who meant to try for the six lockets by the
following evening at latest.

The great and thrilling subject of the prizes was on every one's lips,
and each and all declared that Hollyhock was certain to get the prize
for valour and good-fellowship. What the test would be nobody knew,
and Hollyhock kept her own thoughts to herself. She was deeply
concerned, however, to set Leucha to work, and had a long talk with her
friend on the evening of that day.

'You can try for the essay, Leuchy dear,' she said.