up,
Susy? What's up?"

"This," said Susy. "You know the Irish girl who has come to live with
the Tennants?"

"Can't say I do," said Kate.

"Well, you will soon. She's a regular out-and-out beauty."

"I know her," cried Ruth Craven. "She is most lovely."

"She's better," said Susy; "she's bewitching. See; she gave me this."
Here she pointed proudly to the Irish diamond brooch, which she had
stuck in the bosom of her dress. The diamond had been polished, and
flashed brightly; the silver setting was also as good as was to be
found. The girls crowded round to admire, and "Oh, my!" "Oh, dear!" "Did
you ever?" and "Well, I never!" sounded on all sides.

"You will be so set up now, Susan Hopkins, that we won't be able to bear
you in the same class," said Clara Sawyer.

"Go on," exclaimed Hannah Johnson--"go on and tell us what you want.
Your horrid brooch doesn't interest us. What have you got to say?"

"You are mad with jealousy, and you know it," answered Susy. "Well, I am
coming to the great news. The Irish girl's name is Kathleen O'Hara, and
she comes from a castle over in the wild west of Ireland. Her father is
very rich, and he keeps dogs and horses and carriages and--oh,
everything that rich people keep. Compared to the other girls in the
school, she is ten times a lady; and she has a true lady's heart. And
she has taken a dislike, as far as I can see, to Alice Tennant."

"And I'm sure I'm not surprised," said Rosy Myers.

"Stuck-up thing!" said Clara Sawyer.

"Dirt beneath our feet!" exclaimed Hannah Johnson.

"Well; she doesn't like her either, though she doesn't use that kind of
language," continued Susy. "Anyhow, she wants to befriend _us_--Oh, do
let me speak!"--as Kate interrupted with a hasty exclamation. "She
thinks that we are just as good as herself. There is no false pride
about a real lady, girls; and the end of it is that she has a plan to
propose--something for our benefit and for her benefit. See for
yourselves; this is her letter. It is in her own beautiful Irish,
handwriting. You can read it, only don't tear it all to bits."

The girls did read the letter. They pressed close together, and one
peeped over the shoulder of her companion, another stood on tiptoe,
while a third tried to snatch the letter from the hand of her fellow;
but all managed to read the words: "Get as many foundation girls as you
can to meet me, at whatever place you like to appoint, this evening. I
have a plan to pro