“Nothing—­nothing.”

“But she has.”

“Please, Cassie, she is not horrid.”

“Oh, well, we won’t discuss her.  She is not my sort.  Won’t you come and have lunch with me, and we can arrange everything?  You are going to take advantage of mother’s offer?”

“I can’t help myself.  It is much too good to be refused.  It means—­I can’t tell you what it means to me, Cassie.  If I can only get a scholarship I shall be able to help grandfather.  And yet—­I must tell you the truth—­I was very nearly declining it.”

“I don’t think I should ever have spoken to you again if you had.”

“Even so, I was very nearly declining it; for you know I could not have accepted your offer and been friends with Kathleen O’Hara in the way she wants me to be.  Now I am very fond of Kathleen, and if I could please myself I would retain her friendship.  But you know, grandfather has lost some more money.  He heard about it two nights ago, and that made me make up my mind.  Of course I love you, Cassie.  I have loved you ever since I came to the school.  You have been so very, very kind to me.  But had I the choice I would have stayed with Kathleen.”

“Well, it is all a mystery to me,” said Cassandra.  “I don’t like Kathleen; I will frankly say so.  I don’t think she has a good influence in the school.  That sort of very rich popular girl always makes mischief.  It is far better for the school not to have anybody like her in its midst.  She has the power of attracting people, but she has also the power of making enemies.  It is my opinion she will get into very serious trouble before she leaves Great Shirley School.  I shall be sorry for her, of course.”

“But what do you mean?  What sort of trouble can she get into?”

“There are whispers about her that I don’t quite understand.  But if it were known that she does lead other girls astray, she would be had up before the governors, and then she would not find herself in a very pleasant position.”

Ruth did not say anything.  Her face turned white.  Cassandra glanced at her, uttered a quick sigh, and resumed: 

“Whether you like it or not, I am glad you are out of the whole thing.  I should hate you to get into trouble.  You are so clever, and so different from the others, that you are certain to succeed.  And now let us hurry home.  I must tell you all about our scheme.  You must come to me every day; Miss Renshaw will be with us each evening from six to seven.  Oh! you don’t know how happy you are making me.”

Ruth smiled and tried to look cheerful.

Mrs. Weldon came out to meet the two girls as they entered the pretty little cottage.  Her face was smiling.

“Ah, Cassandra!” she said, “now you will be happy.”

“Yes; Ruth has accepted our offer.”

“Indeed I have, Mrs. Weldon,” said Ruth; “and I scarcely know how to thank you.”

“Come in, dear, and have some dinner.—­Cassandra, I have just heard from Miss Renshaw, and she is coming this afternoon.—­You can either stay, Ruth, when dinner is over, or come back again.”