your silence means refusal I have therefore to turn to a certain young
girl in this school who was a member of the Wild Irish Girls' Society,
and who has now left it.--Ruth Craven, have the goodness to step
forward."

Ruth had been seated in the fourth bench. She rose slowly. Kathleen felt
a curious tremor run through her, but she did not move a muscle; only
when Ruth appeared at the edge of the platform, it was with the greatest
effort she could keep herself from jumping up, taking her hand, and
mounting the platform by her side.

"Step up here, Miss Craven," said Miss Mackenzie.

Ruth did so.

"Will you have the goodness to stand just here, Miss Craven?"

Ruth went to the place indicated.

"You can now face me, and your schoolfellows can also see you.--Girls, I
have requested Ruth Craven to take the prominent position she now
occupies in order that you may all see her. You all know her, do you
not? Those who know Ruth Craven, hold up their hands."

Immediately there was a great show of uplifted hands.

"I presume that you all like her?"

Again the hands went up, and Kathleen's was raised the highest of all.
Ruth's little face, however, remained perfectly white and still; only
her eyes were dark with emotion. She kept thinking of her father.

"I should like that which would make me give _my life_ if necessary," he
had said; and her grandfather had said, "Sometimes when you come out on
the right side of the ledger it means giving _all_ that you possess."

Ruth could scarcely see the faces which rose up like a great ocean
beneath her, but she remembered her father's words very distinctly.

"You all see Ruth Craven," continued Miss Mackenzie. "As far as I know,
she is a good girl; and I judge by your method of answering my question
that she is a popular girl. I know, alas! that she is poor. I have heard
a great deal about her intellectual endowments, and believe that this
school could be of immense advantage to her. I believe, in short, that
she is the typical sort of girl of whom the founders thought when they
instituted this great and noble house of learning. Nevertheless, Ruth
Craven must fall if necessary for the good of the many.--Ruth, I wish to
ask you a certain question. You were a member of that rebellious
society, the Wild Irish Girls?"

"Yes, Miss Mackenzie."

Ruth's "Yes" was very clear; her face looked modest but firm. There was
not the slightest hesitation in the words she uttered. Her speech