le must be a delightful study. Young Mr
O'Shaughnessy has promised to call this afternoon, so you had better
come down and talk to him yourself. I am sure you will find that he is
as cordial as Pixie herself."

This, indeed, proved to be the case, and greatly charmed was
Mademoiselle with the handsome youth, who beamed upon her with Pixie's
own smile, and who was so much warmer and more enthusiastic in his
manner than his English brothers. Jack, indeed, was an apt disciple of
the Blarney Stone, and could pay compliments with any man in Ireland.
He gazed at Mademoiselle with an expression in his eyes which seemed to
say that never, no, never, had he met so charming a woman; his voice
gurgled with emotion as he seconded his sister's invitation, and he bade
her welcome to Knock Castle with the graciousness of a prince of the
blood. So handsome he looked, too, that Pixie's heart swelled with
pride, as she beheld him seated on the sofa, in his frock coat and
freshly creased trousers, looking, as she mentally expressed it, as if
he never "gave a thought to money," which in good truth was the case,
though in another sense to that in which she meant it. The West End
tailor would have a weary time to wait before Mr Jack troubled himself
to pay for all his fine new clothes!

Jack declared that it would be of all things the most helpful if
Mademoiselle would escort Pixie home, for he himself would have to leave
his journey until the very last moment before Christmas, when travelling
would be both difficult and unpleasant. He offered to telegraph to his
sisters, prophesied that Mademoiselle would receive an immediate
response, so that before he left the house the matter was virtually
settled, and the extraordinary news spread through the school that
Mademoiselle was going home with Pixie O'Shaughnessy to pay a visit to
her relatives. Surprise was the first feeling, envy the next, and the
elder pupils were urgent in their demands for letters.

"Write to us, Maddie, do! Promise you will! We are all dying to hear
what they are like. Tell us if Esmeralda is really as beautiful as
Pixie says, and what Bridgie is like, and the boys, and `the Major,' and
the Castle itself. And tell us all you do, and exactly what happens
when you arrive. Write one really long, detaily letter, and we will
send it the round of the class, so that we will all get the benefit.
You will, Maddie, won't you? We do want so badly to know about Pixie'