ou, Isabel, in September."

Both the Tristrams burst into a peal of merry laughter. "Oh Mags!"
they cried, "we never did think before that you were conceited. You
certainly overrate even your powers when you imagine that you will get
Mr. Cardew to change his mind."

"What do you mean by his changing his mind?"

"Why, this," said Belle. "He has set his face from the very first
against his girls leaving home. He wishes them to have a home
education, and that alone."

"Oh, that is all right," said Maggie cheerfully. "Well, what will you
bet, girls, that I have my way?"

"We don't want you to lose, Maggie; but you certainly will not get
your way in this particular."

"Well, now, I am going to be generous. I am not rich; but I have got
two gold bracelets at home, and I will give one to each of you for
your very own if I succeed in bringing Cicely and Merry Cardew to Mrs.
Ward's school."

"Oh! oh!" exclaimed both the Tristram girls.

"You'll get your bracelets," said Maggie in a most confident tone,
"and I can assure you they are beauties; my darling father brought
them from India years and years ago. He brought a lot of jewels for
mother and me, and I will get the bracelets for you--one each--if I
succeed; but you must allow me to manage things my own way."

"But you won't do anything--anything--to upset the Cardews?" said
Isabel.

"Upset them!" said Maggie. "Well, yes, I do mean to upset them. I mean
to alter their lives; I mean to turn things topsyturvy for them; but
I'll manage it in such a fashion that neither you, nor Molly, nor your
father, nor your mother, nor anyone will suspect how I have got my
way, but get it I will. I thought I'd tell you, that's all. You'd like
to have them at school with you, wouldn't you?"

"Oh yes, very much indeed," said Molly.

"I am not so sure," said Isabel. "It's rather fun coming back to the
rectory in the holidays and telling the Cardew girls all about what we
do and how we spend our time. There'll be nothing to tell them if we
all go to the same school."

"Well," said Maggie, "I don't agree with you. I expect, on the
contrary, you'll find a vast lot more to talk about. But come, let's
hurry now; I want to be introduced to them, for I have no time to
lose."

Neither Isabel nor Molly could quite make out why they felt a certain
depression after Maggie Howland had explained her views. The thought
of the possible possession of the bracelets did not greatly elate
them.