"I can't do that, dear; you must just tell me what is in your mind, and be satisfied with my decision. The only thing that I can assure you beforehand is that if it is a workable scheme, and likely to give you great pleasure, I will do my best to entertain it." "Then we're certain to have it--certain," said Kathleen. "It was I who thought of it. You will forgive me if I speak out just as plainly as possible?" "Of course, Kathleen dear." "Well, you know you are the head-mistress." "That is scarcely news to me, my child." "And people, as a rule," continued Kathleen, "respect their head-mistress." "Dear me," said Mrs. Ward with a smile, "have you come here, Kathleen, to say that you don't respect me?" "Respect you!" said Kathleen. "We do a jolly lot more than that. We adore you! We love you! You're--you're a sort of--of mother to us." "That is what I want to be," said Mrs. Ward with fervor, and she took the girl's hand and smoothed it gently. "I often want to hug you, and that's a fact," said Kathleen. "You may kiss me now if you like, Kitty." "Oh, Mrs. Ward!" Kitty bent down and bestowed a reverent kiss on that sweet face. "I have permitted you to kiss me, Kitty," said Mrs. Ward, "in order to show you that I sympathize with you, as I do with all my dear girls. But now, what is the matter?" "Well, the fact is this. We want, during the 'leisure hours' to give a party." "Is that all? Do you all want to give a party?" "Our side wants to give a party, and we want to invite the other side to it." "But what do you mean by 'our side' and 'the other side'?" "Oh, Mrs. Ward! you know--of course you know--that Aneta and Maggie divide the school." "I know," said Mrs. Ward after a pause, "that Aneta has considerable influence, and that Maggie also has influence." "Those two girls divide the school," said Kathleen, "the rest of us follow them. As a matter of fact, we only follow our leaders in the leisure hours; but as they come every day a good deal can be done in that time, can't it?" "Yes," said Mrs. Ward, and her tone was not exactly cheerful. "On which side are you, Kitty?" "Oh, dear Mrs. Ward, of course, on Maggie's! Do you think that a girl like me, with all my spirit and that irresistible sort of fun always bubbling up in me, could stand the stuck-ups?" "Kitty, you have no right to speak of any girls in the school by such an offensive term." "I am sorry," said Kitty. "I ought not to have said it to you. But they are stuck-ups; they really are." "And what do you call yourself?" "Oh, the live-and-let-live--that's our title. But it's only quite among ourselves, and perhaps I ought not to have said it." "I will never repeat what you have told me in confidence, dear. But now for your request?"