"She is no better than the rest of us," repeated Susan Hopkins.
"I have a great mind to take to you all, to make a fuss about you, and to show the others how badly they behave."
"You'd be a queen amongst us; there's no doubt about that."
"It would be lovely, and it would be a tremendous bit of naughtiness," thought Kathleen.
"Do you think you will, miss? Because, if you do, I will tell the others. We could meet you and talk over things."
"Well, I will decide to-morrow. I will enclose a letter with your brooch. Good-bye now; I must go in and kiss my darling Ruth."
Susy Hopkins stood for a minute to watch Kathleen as she went up the little narrow path of Sans Souci. When Kathleen reached the porch she waved her hand, and Susy, putting wings to her feet, ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. She felt very much elated and really pleased. In the whole course of her life she had never met a girl of the Kathleen O'Hara type before. Her beauty, her daring and wild manner, the flash in her bright dark eyes, the glints of gold in her lovely hair, all fascinated Susy.
"What a queen she'd make!" she thought. "We must make her our queen. We'd have quite a party of our own in the school if she took us up. And she will; I'm sure she will. This is a lark. This is worth a great deal."
Meanwhile Kathleen rang the bell at Sans Souci in a very smart, imperative manner. A little maid, neatly dressed, came to the door.
"Please," said Kathleen, "will you say that Miss O'Hara