And you must also acquaint us with the names of the girls who are
members."
Ruth again was silent, but now she held herself erect and looked full at
Miss Mackenzie.
"You hear me, child. Speak. You can make your narrative brief. Where
does the society meet? What does it do? What are its rules? Go on; you
are not stupid, are you?"
"No, Miss Mackenzie," said Ruth, "I am not stupid; and I am very, sorry
indeed to seem rude, but I cannot answer your questions. You know that
Kathleen's society exists; that fact I cannot hide from you, but you
will not hear anything more from me. It would be a very terrible thing
for me to be expelled from this school; it would mean great sorrow to my
grandfather and grandmother; but I cannot betray my friend Kathleen, nor
any of the other girls of the society."
Miss Mackenzie was silent for quite a minute. The other ladies fidgeted
as they sat. Ruth, having delivered her soul, looked down. After a long
pause Miss Mackenzie said quite gently:
"Ruth Craven, you scarcely realize your own position. We cannot possibly
let a little girl who is rebellious, who keeps secrets to herself which
she ought to tell for the benefit of the school, continue in our midst.
We will give you three days to think over this matter. If at the end of
three days you are still obstinately silent, there is nothing whatever
for it but that you should be expelled from the school. Do you
understand what that means?"
"It means that I must go, that I shall lose all the advantages," said
Ruth.
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