the words, a little sad in their
meaning, out of her ears. She looked up as though moved to say
something.

"As you have asked me a question, I will give you an answer. I know a
way in which you can secure my good opinion."

"Really!" said Kathleen, who was too angry now to be properly polite.
"And what may that way be?"

"Why, this: if you will tell the truth about your horrible society, and
spare dear little Ruth Craven, and make Cassandra Weldon happy."

"I don't care twopence about your tiresome Cassandra; but little
Ruth--what ails her?"

"The governors are going to insist upon her telling what she knows."

"But she won't," said Kathleen, laughing merrily. "She is too much of a
brick."

"Then she'll be expelled."

"What nonsense!"

"You wait and see. You don't know the Great Shirley School as well as I
do. However, I have spoken; I have nothing more to say. It is time to
get up, after all."

The girls dressed in silence. Alice had long ceased to torment Kathleen
about her own side of the room. Provided Alice's side was left in peace,
she determined to shut her eyes to untidy wardrobes, to the chest of
drawers full to bursting, to a boot kicked off here and a shoe
disporting itself there, to ribbons and laces and handkerchiefs and
scarves and blouses scattered on the bed, and even on the floor. Alice
had learnt to put up with these things; she turned her back on them, so
to speak.

The two girls ran downstairs together. Just for a moment Kathleen had
felt frightened at Alice's words, but then she cast them from her mind.
It was quite, quite impossible to suppose that anything so monstrously
unfair as that a little girl should be expelled from the school could
happen. Ruth, too, of all the girls--Ruth who was absolutely goodness
itself. So Kathleen ate her breakfast with appetite, remarked on the
brightness of the day to Mrs. Tennant and the boys, and then with Alice
started off to school with her satchel of books slung over her shoulder,
her gay, pretty dress making her look a most remarkable figure amongst
all the girls who were going towards the great school, and her saucy
bright face attracting attention on all sides. There was nothing about
Kathleen to indicate that that evening she meant to steal from home
and, in company with forty companions, go to London. She was able to
keep her own counsel, and this last daring scheme was locked tightly up
in her heart. On her way to school she met Ruth.