"There is Ruth," she said, turning to Alice. "Oh! and there's Susy in
the distance. I want to speak to them both. You can go on, of course,
Alice; I will follow presently."

"We are rather late as it is," said Alice. "In addition to your
misdemeanors, I should advise you not to be late for prayers just at
present."

"Thanks so much!" said Kathleen in a sarcastic tone.

She left Alice and ran towards Ruth.

"Why, Ruth," she said, "you do look pale."

"Oh, I am all right," said Ruth, brightening at the sight of Kathleen.

"Then you don't look it. Ruth, is it true that they want you to tell?"

"They want me to, Kathleen," said Ruth; "but I am not going to. You can
rest quite satisfied on that point."

"You are a splendid, darling brick," said Kathleen, "and I love you to
distraction. Dear Ruth, what can I do for you?"

"Give up the society as fast as you can," said Ruth.

"What? And yet you won't tell!"

"It's because it's dishonorable to tell," said Ruth. "Don't keep me now,
Kathleen; I want to get into school in good time. Grandfather is not
well, and I must hurry back to him."

"Your nice white-haired grandfather that you have talked to me about?"

"He was ill all night. He talked about you a little. Do you know,
Kathleen, I think he'd like to see you. Would you greatly mind coming
back with me after school, just to see him for a minute? I have told him
so much about you, and I have told granny too, and they both picture you
somewhat as you are. Do you think you could come, just to give them both
pleasure?"

"Come?" said Kathleen gaily. "Why, of course I'll come, heart of my
life. I'd do anything on earth to please you. I'll join you after
school, and well go straight away. It doesn't matter a bit about my
being late for dinner at the Tennants'. Ah! there's Susy. I want to have
a word with her."

Kathleen pushed past Ruth and ran up to Susy. Susy was looking intensely
agitated: there were vivid spots of color on her cheeks, and her eyes
were as bright as stars.

"I have managed everything," she said in a whisper. "It's all right;
it's splendidly right. We are all coming; not one of us will stay
behind. We know what it means, of course."

"You look very mysterious," said Kathleen. "I wonder why you talk like
that. What does it mean, in your opinion?"

"Oh, Kathleen, can't you understand? And one does it sometimes in life.
I have read about it in story-books, and there are cases of it in
history; yo