nice, and so is her mother. She plays beautifully, and they will sing."

"Irish songs?" called out Kathleen.

"I don't know. Perhaps they will if you ask them."

"Thanks," replied Kathleen; "I am not going." Again there was silence,
and the scratching of the pen continued. Alice was now obliged to go
downstairs to acquaint her mother.

"What is it, dear? Why, my dear Alice, how excited you look!"

"I have cause to be, mother. I have come in rather late, very much
fagged out from a day of hard examination work and that imp--that horrid
girl--has locked me out of my bedroom. I was so looking forward to a
nice little supper with Cassandra and the other girls! Kathleen won't
let me in; she really is intolerable. I can't stay in the room with her
any longer; she is past bearing. Can't you give me an attic to myself at
the top of the house?"

"You know I haven't a corner."

"Can't I share your bed, mummy? I shall be so miserable with that
dreadful Kathleen."

"You know quite well, Alice, that that is the only really good bedroom
in the house, and I can't afford to give it to one girl by herself. I
think Kathleen will be all right when we really get to know her; but she
is very undisciplined. Still, three guineas a week makes an immense
difference to me, Alice. I can't help telling you so, my child."