Ruth gave nothing more decided than a wan smile in answer, and in her heart a wonder as to what Eurie would think of her if she could have known the way in which her night was passed.

“She is more likely to stay in bed,” Marion said, looking at her critically.  “You will never think of trying to travel to-day, will you, Ruth?  Dear me! how you look!  I have always heard that hair oil was weakening, but I did not know its effects were so sudden and disastrous!” And then every one of these silly girls laughed.  The disaster of the night before had reached its irresistibly comic side—­to them.  Only Ruth shivered visibly; it was not funny to her.

It was a very eventful day.  She by no means relished the character of invalid that the girls seemed determined ought to be forced upon her and at the same time she had not the least idea of going to Saratoga.  Strangely enough, that desire seemed to have utterly gone from her.  She had not slept at all, but she arose and dressed herself as usual, with only one feeling strong upon her, and that was a determination to carry out the decision to which she had so recently come, and she had not the least idea how to set to work to carry it out.  She went with the rest to the large tent to hear Mrs. Clark’s address to primary class teachers.

“I’m not a primary class teacher, and not likely to be, but I am a woman, and gifted with the natural curiosity of that sex to know what a woman may have to say in so big a place as this.  I don’t see how she dares to peep.”  This was Eurie’s explanation of her desire to go to the reception.

Ruth went because to go to meeting seemed to be the wisest way that she knew of for carrying out her decision, and a good time she had.  She had not imagined that teaching primary classes was such an art, and involved so much time and brain as it did.  She listened eagerly to all Mrs. Clark had to say; she followed her through the blackboard lessons with surprise and delight, and she awoke at the close of the hour to the memory that, although she had been interested as she had not imagined it possible for her to be on such a theme, she had done nothing toward her determination to make a Christian of herself, and that she knew no more how to go to work than before.

“When I do find out how to be one I know I will go to work in the Sabbath-school; I have changed my mind on that point.”  This she told herself softly as they went back to dinner.

It was a strange afternoon to her.  She became unable to interest herself heartily in the public services; her own heart claimed her thought.  It was noticeable also that for the first time Chautauqua chose this day in which to be metaphysical and scientific, to the exclusion of personal religion.  Not that they were irreligious, not that they for a moment forgot their position as a great religious gathering; but there was an absence of that intense personal element in the talk which had so offended Ruth’s taste heretofore, and she missed it.