"Yes, with pleasure," replied Gwin, and turning, she led the way out of
the room. The rest of the evening passed off better. Kitty became a
little subdued, and satisfied herself with talking less, and casting
ravishing glances of delight and roguish entreaty first at one girl and
then at the other. It was extremely difficult to withstand her, for her
voice was low and singularly sweet, her eyes were beautiful, she could
not do an ungraceful thing, she was altogether like a bright, flashing
meteor, and soon she began to exercise an extraordinary fascination both
over Bessie Challoner and Gwin Harley. Having got over her first
astonishment, Gwin began to take a sincere interest in the pretty
stranger. The lovely expression of her coral lips made her long to kiss
them, and to assure the Irish girl that she for one would be her friend;
but the next instant Kitty said something so very much against the grain
that Gwin felt as much repulsed as a moment before she was delighted.

Immediately after tea Bessie went off to the library to hunt up her
darling "Encyclopaedia."

"Now that she has gone," exclaimed Gwin, "we are not likely to get her
back for some time. What a remarkably earnest student she is!"

"The Earnest Student?" interrupted Kitty. "I thought that was the name
of a religious book. I think father has got it at home."

"Perhaps so," replied Gwin, "but we always call it to Bessie. She is
wonderfully clever. She gets on splendidly at school, taking everything
before her. I am certain she is the kind of girl who will make her mark
by and by."

"I hate studies!" said Kitty in her low, humorous voice.