downstairs. Kathleen,
however, was the last girl to notice any want in her companion's
wardrobe. She had all her life been so abundantly supplied with clothes
that, although she loved to array herself in fine garments, the want of
them in others never attracted her attention.

"Susy," she said the moment they got out of doors, "what is the matter
with Ruth Craven?"

"With Ruth Craven?" said Susy, who was by no means inclined to waste her
time over such an uninteresting person.

"Yes. You must go to her house; you must insist on seeing her, and you
must find out and let me know what is wrong. She has written me a most
mysterious letter; she has actually asked me to let her withdraw from
our society. Ruth, of all people!"

"It is very queer of her," said Susy, "not to be grateful and pleased,
for she is no better than the rest of us."

"No better than the rest of you, Susy?" said Kathleen, raising her brows
in surprise. "But indeed you are mistaken. The rest of you are not a
patch on her. She is my Prime Minister. I can't allow her to resign."

"Oh, well," said Susy, "if you think of her in that way--"

"Of course I think of her in that way, Susy. I like you very much, and I
want to be kind to everybody; but to compare you or Mary Rand or Rosy
Myers, or any of the others, with Ruth Craven--"

"But she is no better."

"She is a great deal better. She is refined and beautiful. She mustn't
go; I can't allow it. But she has written me such a queer letter, and
implored and besought of me not to come to see her, that I am forced to
accede to her wishes. So you will have to go to her to-night and tell
her that she must meet me on my way to school to-morrow. Tell her that I
will go a bit of the way towards her house; tell her that I will be at
the White Cross Corner at a quarter to nine. You needn't say more. Oh,
Susy, it would break my heart if Ruth did not continue to be a member of
our society."

"I will do what you want, of course," said Susy. "I'd do anything in the
world for you, Kathleen. It was so kind of you to come to see us this
afternoon. You will keep your promise and come and have tea with us,
won't you?"

"I am very sorry, but I am afraid I can't. I do wish I had a home of my
own, and then I'd ask you to have tea with me. But, Susy, how funnily
you were dressed to-day, now that I come to think of it! You did look
odd. That blouse is too smart for the coarse blue serge skirt you were
wearing."

"I kn