themselves together in disregard of its laws, and who have
made for themselves laws contrary to the peace-abiding principles of
this great school and noble institution: who meet at unseemly hours, who
preach rebellion each to the other, who dare to publicly break the laws
of the school, and who defy the express wishes of myself as
head-mistress and the governors of the school by insisting on continuing
their wicked meetings. And last night a certain number of these girls
actually took it upon themselves to go to London--to do what, I can't
say--and to return at midnight, alone and unchaperoned. Such conduct is
so unworthy, so undignified, and so absolutely sinful that there is only
one course to pursue. The girls who are rebellious in the school must be
exposed; their conduct must be investigated, and a very heavy punishment
awarded to them."

Here Miss Ravenscroft looked round her. She caught the eye of Miss
Mackenzie, who beckoned to her and whispered something in her ear.

"Miss Mackenzie bids me say that if the girls who belong to this society
will at this moment give up the name of their ringleader they themselves
will be forgiven. What punishment they receive will only be connected
with their work in the school, and may possibly exclude them from
competing for certain scholarships during this present term, but for the
rest nothing further will be said. But it is essential that the name of
the ringleader, as well as her rules and her motives, should be
declared."

Miss Ravenscroft paused again and looked down the whole length of the
long hall. She looked to right and left.

"Don't let any girl think," she said after a pause, "that she is acting
nobly by suppressing information which is for the benefit of the school.
I do not ask the girls who are spoken of as the paying girls to expose
their companions, nor do I ask those foundationers who have not joined
the band of insurgents to betray their fellows; but what I do ask is
this: that the girls themselves--the rebels--should rise in a body and
point to their leader. With that leader the governors will deal. The
girls themselves will have forgiveness."

Miss Ravenscroft again paused. The silence which followed might be felt.
Susy Hopkins bent her head and sobbed. Janey Ford trembled all over, and
clutched tightly the hand of her companion. But no one spoke. It was at
that moment that Kathleen calmly and slowly raised her face and looked
around her. She looked ba