land again."

She laughed merrily, parted from Susy, and ran all the rest of the way
home.

CHAPTER XXIV.

KATHLEEN AND GRANDFATHER CRAVEN.

Friday was emphatically a summer's day in winter. The sky was cloudless;
the few leaves that still remained on the trees looked brilliant in
their autumn coloring. The ground was crisp under foot; the air was
soft, gentle, and pleasant. Girls, like all other creatures, are
susceptible to weather; they do their best work and have their best
feelings aroused when the sun shines and the day looks cheerful. The
sunshiny weather puts heart into them. But it is sad to relate that when
a girl is bent on mischief she is even more mischievous, more daring,
more defiant when the sun shines and the earth looks gay.

Kathleen awoke on the special morning after a night of wild dreams. She
raised herself on her elbow and looked across at Alice.

"What a lovely day! Why, I see sunshine quite plainly from where I am
lying. Wake up, won't you, Alice?" she said.

"How tiresome of you to rouse me!" said Alice, opening her eyes and
looking crossly at Kathleen.

Kathleen smiled back at her. Her face was rosy. Her hair was tossed in
wild confusion about her head and shoulders; it tumbled also over her
forehead, and made her eyes look more dancing and mischievous than ever
beneath its heavy shadow.

"I wonder--" said Kathleen softly.

If she had spoken in a loud voice Alice would have taken no notice, but
there was something pathetic and beautiful in her tone, and Alice raised
herself and looked at her.

"I wonder," she said "why you hate me so much?'

"Fudge!" said Alice.

"But Alice, it isn't fudge. Why should I have made myself so terribly
obnoxious to you? The others are fond of me; they don't think me
perfect--and indeed I don't want them to--but they love me for those
qualities in me which are worthy of love."

"How you chatter!" said Alice. "I have hitherto failed to perceive the
qualities in you that are worthy of love. It wants another quarter of an
hour before our hot water is brought in. Do you greatly object to my
sleeping during that time?"

"No, cross patch," said Kathleen, turning angrily on her pillow. "You
may sleep till doomsday as far as I am concerned."

"Polite," muttered Alice.

She shut her eyes, folded her arms, and prepared for further slumber;
but somehow Kathleen had effectually aroused her. She could not get the
radiant face out of her head, nor