lub. I
move that the president consider herself rebuked for exceeding her
authority."

"Ruth, there's another chance to second something," Cicily suggested,
ironically.

The maiden of the large eyes was pleased and flattered by the
suggestion, which she accepted in all seriousness.

"Really?" she exclaimed, and turned her gaze aloft. "Oh, then, I second
it--I second it, of course!"

"It is moved and seconded," Cicily declared listlessly, "that the
president be rebuked for trying to be of some genuine use to herself and
to her fellow women. All in favor of the motion will please say ay."

The form in which the president had stated the motion was not
satisfactory to most of the members, who preserved a silence of
indecision, with the single exception of Ruth, who uttered an
enthusiastic affirmative vote, as a matter of course, only to shrink
back perplexedly when she found angry eyes focused on her from every
side. But Cicily nonchalantly announced the motion as having been
carried, without troubling to call for the contrary vote.

"Ladies," she said, "the president accepts the rebuke; and she also
resigns from her office and from the club. She is done with you, with
all of you, and with your pitiful joke of a club."

She stood serenely defiant, while the company of babbling, head-tossing
women hastened forth from the drawing-room, until only Mrs. Delancy
remained.

CHAPTER XI

For a few moments after the passing of the Civitas Society, Cicily
remained in her place, motionless, tense, her face whitely set. Then, of
a sudden, the rigidity of her pose relaxed. She moved swiftly to where
her aunt was sitting, dropped to her knees, and buried her face in the
old lady's lap. The dainty form was shaken by a storm of sobs.... Mrs.
Delancy, wise from years, attempted no word of comfort for the time
being--only stroked the shining brown tresses softly, and patted a
shoulder tenderly. So, the girl, for now she was no more than that, wept
out the first fury of her grief in this comforting, sheltering presence,
as so often she had done in the years before marriage claimed her.
Little by little, the fierceness of her emotion was worn out, until at
last she was able to raise a sorrow-stricken face, in which the clear
gold of the eyes still shone beautiful, though dimmed, through the veil
of tears. The scarlet lips were tremulous, and the notes of the musical
voice came brokenly as she spoke her despair.

"I've rui