y?"

"Oh, dear Mrs. Ward, of course, on Maggie's! Do you think that a girl
like me, with all my spirit and that irresistible sort of fun always
bubbling up in me, could stand the stuck-ups?"

"Kitty, you have no right to speak of any girls in the school by such
an offensive term."

"I am sorry," said Kitty. "I ought not to have said it to you. But
they are stuck-ups; they really are."

"And what do you call yourself?"

"Oh, the live-and-let-live--that's our title. But it's only quite
among ourselves, and perhaps I ought not to have said it."

"I will never repeat what you have told me in confidence, dear. But
now for your request?"

"Well, we of Maggie's set want to invite the Aneta set to a sort of
general party. We should like it to be on the half-holiday, if
possible. We want to give them a right royal entertainment in order to
knock some of their stuck-upness out of them. We wish for your leave
in the matter."

"You must describe your entertainment a little more fully."

"I can't; for we haven't really and truly planned it all out yet. But
I tell you what we'll do. If you give us leave to have the party, we
will ask Queen Aneta and her satellites if possible this very evening,
and then we'll submit our programme to you. Now, may we do this, or
may we not?"

"Who sent you to me, Kathleen?"

"I came of my own very self, but of course the others approved. We
have no intention of doing shabby things in the dark, as they do in
some schools. That would be unfair to you."

Mrs. Ward thought a little longer. "I will give you the required
permission," she said, "on one condition."

"Oh, Mrs. Ward, darling! what is that?"

"You can have your party on Saturday week, and I will give you from
early in the afternoon until bedtime to enjoy it."

"Oh, Mrs. Ward, you are too angelic!"

"Stop a minute. You may not care for it so much when I have finished
what I have got to say."

"What is it, dear Mrs. Ward?"

"It is this: that you ask me too as one of your guests."

"Oh! oh!" said Kathleen. Her expressive face changed from red to white
and then to red again. Her eyes brimmed over with laughter, and then
as suddenly filled with tears. "But would you--would you like it?"

"Yes, and I don't want to destroy your pleasure; but I presume you
will have a sort of supper or an entertainment which will include
refreshments. Let me assist you with the expense of your supper, and
may I be present at it as one of your