,
Ruth. Come into the garden; I want to talk to you."

Ruth looked full round at her companion. She saw something in
Cassandra's eye which made her slightly shiver. Then she said:

"Very well."

Cassandra opened the little gate which led into the tiny fruit and
vegetable garden. There was a narrow path, bordered on each side with a
box-hedge, down which the girls walked. Presently Cassandra slipped her
arm round Ruth's waist.

"You knew, of course," she said, "how much I love you."

"You are awfully good to me, Cassie."

"As a rule I am not fond of what schoolgirls call falling in love,"
continued Cassandra; "but I love you. There is nothing I wouldn't do for
you."

"Thank you," said Ruth again.

She wondered what Cassandra would say on Saturday. Surely after Saturday
no girl who belonged to the Great Shirley School would like to speak to
her.

"Now I want to tell you something," continued Cassandra. "I saw Miss
Ravenscroft this morning. She told me about you and your position with
the governors."

"Oh, need we talk of that?" said Ruth coloring, stopping in her walk,
and turning to face Cassandra.

"Why shouldn't we? I wish you would tell me everything. Why are you
going to be so obstinate? But of course you won't be. You will--you
must--change your mind. She told me--Miss Ravenscroft did--because she
likes you, Ruth, and she would be so terribly sorry if you got into
trouble over this matter. She said you are certain to get into most
serious, terrible trouble, for the governors will on no account depart
from their firm resolve to expel you from the school. You will have
defied their authority, and that is what they cannot permit. It is on
that ground they will expel you, but it is strong enough; no one can
suppose for a moment that they are acting with injustice."

"I am glad it is on that ground," said Ruth softly.

"Then of course you will be wise, Ruth. It is silly and quixotic, for
the sake of a girl like Kathleen O'Hara, to ruin all your own
prospects."

"It is scarcely that--and yet it is that," said Ruth slowly. "It is
because I will not be a traitor," she added, lowering her voice, then
flinging up her head and gazing proudly before her.

"I knew you were quixotic. I knew that was at the bottom of it," said
Cassandra. "But you will think it over, Ruth. It would be too terrible
to see you denounced in the presence of the whole school, and sent out
of the school for ever. Think of losing your