rules which are not quite agreeable to every one. My principal
object in starting this society is to put those horrid paying girls in
their proper places. There must not be friendship--not real friendship,
I mean--between us and them."

"You are a paying girl yourself," suddenly exclaimed Mary Rand.

"I know. I wish I were not, but I can't help myself. You must allow me
to stand alone; I am your queen."

"That you are, and I love you," said Mary.

"This rule must hold good," repeated Kathleen. "I must insist on my
society adhering to it.--Ruth Craven, why are you silent?"

"Because I earnestly wish I had not joined. I cannot give up Cassandra,
nor Alice, nor--nor other girls."

"Nonsense, Ruth! You dare not fail me now," said Kathleen, with
enthusiasm. "I will make it up to you. You shall come with me to Ireland
in the summer. You shall. Oh Ruth, don't fail me!"

"I won't; but I hate that rule."

"And, girls, I think we must part now," said Kate Rourke. "It is getting
late, and it would never do for our secret meetings to be discovered."

"Whatever happens, we must stick together," said Kathleen. "Well,
good-night; we meet again this day week."

There was quite a flutter of excitement along that lonely road as the
Wild Irish Girls returned to their different homes. Susy Hopkins felt
quite the happiest and most light-hearted of any. By-and-by she and Ruth
Craven found themselves the only girls who were walking down the road
called Southwood Lane. This road led right into the centre of the shops
where Susy's mother lived.

"What a good thing," said Susy, "that I took the latchkey with me! It is
past ten o'clock. Mother would be wild if she had to sit up so late."

Ruth was silent.

"Aren't you happy, Ruthie? Don't you think it is all splendid?" cried
Susy.

"Yes and no," said Ruth. "You see, I am a foundationer, and when she
pressed me to join I hated not to; but now I am sorry that I have
joined. What am I to do about Cassandra and about Alice?"

"You think a great deal about Cassandra, don't you?"

"Oh, yes; she is quite a splendid girl, and she has been so very good to
me."

"I suppose you are quite in love with her?"

"No, I don't think I am. It isn't my way to fall violently in love with
girls, like some of the rest of you. But I like her; and I like Alice
Tennant."

"All the same," said Susy, "it is worth sacrificing a little thing to
belong to the Wild Irish Girls. Did you ever in all your l