The next day the girls unexpectedly arrived at the school. Leucha was certain that she would have the same warm welcome that she had received when she came downstairs after her illness caused by Hollyhock's mischievous prank, but she did not remember that she was now Holly's enemy. She did not even recall the fact that Meg Drummond was forbidden to have dealings with her. In short, the school received her with extreme coldness. The only one whose eyes lit up for a moment with pleasure was that beloved one called Hollyhock; but she soon turned her attention to a group of girls surrounding her, and as Leucha would not give her even the faintest ghost of a smile, she tossed her proud little black head and absorbed herself with others, who were but too eager to talk to her.
Leucha, in fact, found herself in her old position in the school, and the only one who timidly made advances towards her was Daisy Watson.
'I don't want you; go away,' said the angry Leucha.
'I 'm going,' said Daisy. 'I have plenty of friends in the school now myself, for Hollyhock has taken me up.'
'What!' cried Leucha. 'How dare she?'
'Well, she chooses to. I 'm to act in a charade to-night which she has composed, and which will be rare fun. She's so sweet and so forgiving, Leucha, that I think she 'd love you as much as ever, if only you weren't so desperately jealous.'
'I'm not jealous. I'm a terribly wronged girl. There was a trick played on me which might have cost me my life. I'll have to tell my poor mother that this is a very wicked school.'
'Well, please yourself,' said Daisy. 'I must be off. It's rather fun, the part I have to play. I 'm to be called the kitchen cat!'
'You—you—how dare you?'
'We are all acting as different animals. There are twelve of us who are taking parts in the charade, and dear Hollyhock is to be the ghost. She 'll stalk in, in her ghostly garments, and create a great sensation amongst the animals. We would not have done it if we had known that you were coming back, Leuchy, being but too well aware of your terrible nervousness about ghosts, even when the ghosts are only make-believe.'