“It is Kathleen O’Hara;” “It is Kathleen O’Hara herself;” “Well, she has come at last;” “Yes, it is Kathleen O’Hara,” passed from lip to lip, until Kathleen felt that her name had got round her and above her and to right and left of her.  She had an instant’s sensation of absolute fear.  She had a flashing desire to turn tail and run out of the room; but the same power which had pushed her into the room now sent her right up the long central hall past all the watching, expectant, eager-looking girls.  Outside some one had said that she would be afraid.  No, whatever the danger, she knew she could keep her own.  She was not Kathleen O’Hara of Carrigrohane Castle for nothing.

“Come here, Miss O’Hara,” said the voice of Miss Ravenscroft at that moment.

Kathleen obeyed at once.  She found a seat on the front bench, dropped into it, and at the same moment encountered the almost malicious glance of Alice Tennant.  She turned away from Alice.  That look seemed suddenly to steady her nerves.  She was afraid just for a moment that she might give way to something, she knew not what, but Alice’s look hardened her heart.  Time had been given Kathleen to take her place, to recover any emotion she might have felt by her sudden entrance, and then Miss Ravenscroft rose to her feet.

“It is my painful duty,” she said, “to have to say something which distresses me far more than I can give you any idea of.  My dear girls, you have all been summoned to attend in this hall to-day in order to meet the governors of the school, Miss Mackenzie, Mrs. Naylor, Mrs. Ross, the Misses Scott, and Miss Jane Smyth.  These ladies have come to meet you, because they wish thoroughly to investigate a most disgraceful matter which has lately been going on in the school.”

Miss Ravenscroft paused and looked round her.

“I allude,” she said, “to the insurrection in our midst—­a sort of civil war in our camp.  There are, I am given to understand, in the midst of this hitherto well conducted and admirable school, a number of girls who have banded themselves together in disregard of its laws, and who have made for themselves laws contrary to the peace-abiding principles of this great school and noble institution:  who meet at unseemly hours, who preach rebellion each to the other, who dare to publicly break the laws of the school, and who defy the express wishes of myself as head-mistress and the governors of the school by insisting on continuing their wicked meetings.  And last night a certain number of these girls actually took it upon themselves to go to London—­to do what, I can’t say—­and to return at midnight, alone and unchaperoned.  Such conduct is so unworthy, so undignified, and so absolutely sinful that there is only one course to pursue.  The girls who are rebellious in the school must be exposed; their conduct must be investigated, and a very heavy punishment awarded to them.”

Here Miss Ravenscroft looked round her.  She caught the eye of Miss Mackenzie, who beckoned to her and whispered something in her ear.