WHO WAS THE RINGLEADER?
In the passage a monitress was standing, and when she saw Kathleen she
came up to her and said in an agitated tone:
"They are all assembled in the great hall. Go in quickly; you may be in
time, after all."
The voice of the monitress quite shook, and there was a troubled, very
nearly tearful expression in her eyes.
"But why is the whole school in the central hall?" asked Kathleen. "Why
are they not in their different classrooms?"
"Go in--go in," said the monitress. "You will know when you find
yourself there; and there is not a moment to lose."
So Kathleen, impelled by a curious power which seemed to drive her
whether she will it or not, opened the door of the great central hall
and entered. She found it quite full. The four hundred girls who
composed the Great Shirley School were all present; so were the
teachers, and so were the professors who came to give them music and
drawing and literature lessons. So was the head-mistress, Miss
Ravenscroft; and also, seated on the same little raised platform, were
the six ladies who formed the governors. The governors sat in a little
circle, Miss Mackenzie in the middle. Miss Mackenzie looked hard and
very firm. Her iron-gray hair, her false teeth, her prominent nose, and
her rather cruel steel-gray eyes made themselves felt all down the long
room. The other ladies also looked as they usually did, except that Mrs.
Naylor had traces of tears in her eyes, and bent forward several times
to whisper something to Miss Mackenzie, who invariably shook her head
and looked more stern than ever. There was evidently a moment's pause,
and the whole school was in a waiting attitude when Kathleen made her
appearance. All eyes were then turned in her direction; all eyes fixed
themselves on the showily dressed and very handsome child who suddenly
entered the room.
"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.
"Miss Mackenzie bids me say that if the girls who belong to this society
will at this moment give up the name of their ringleader they themselves
will be forgiven. What punishment they receive will only be connected
with their work in the school, and may possibly exclude them from
competing for certain scholarships during this present term, but for the
rest nothing further will be said. But it is essential that the name of
the ringleader, as well as her rules and her motives, should be
declared."
Miss Ravenscroft paused again and looked down the whole length of the
long hall. She looked to right and left.
"Don't let any girl think," she said after a pause, "that she is acting
nobly by suppressing information which is for the benefit of the school.
I do not ask the girls who are spoken of as the paying girls to expose
their companions, nor do I ask those foundationers who have not joined
the band of insurgents to betray their fellows; but what I do ask is
this: that the girls themselves--the rebels--should rise in a body and
point to their leader. With that leader the governors will deal. The
girls themselves will have forgiveness."
Miss Ravenscroft again paused. The silence which followed might be felt.
Susy Hopkins bent her head and sobbed. Janey Ford trembled all over, and
clutched tightly the hand of her companion. But no one spoke. It was at
that moment that Kathleen calmly and slowly raised her face and looked
around her. She looked back, and caught the eyes of at least a dozen of
those foundationers whom she had pitied and helped and been jolly with.
She looked to the right then, and met as many more faces of girls whom
she knew, and who were members of the Wild Irish Girls' Society. Then
very calmly she resumed her nonchalant attitude in the front row of the
schoolgirls. Miss Ravenscroft meanwhile stood waiting. Still no one
spoke.
"Will no one speak?" she said. "Will no girl present be brave enough to
save the school?"
Still there was silence.
"This is a very good and a great school," said Miss Ravenscroft. "It
gives for a very trifling sum an education worthy of the very best and
most expensive schools in England. It was founded some hundred years
ago, by those who thought much and in advance of their time. In an age
when girls were almost uneducated, when nothing further was required
from them than a smattering of reading and writing, these wise and
far-seeing people said that they would give the girls of the future a
chance. So they left money for the purpose, and that money, wisely
invested, has borne fruit. The great school was built, and has for
generations helped many girls who otherwise might not have been able to
earn their own bread. Even for the paying girls the expense for all they
receive is but a trifle. But the school does more than that. It was the
wish of the founders that there should always be one hundred
foundationers on the school lists, and these girls are admitted free;
they pay nothing in hard cash for what they receive. They are taught
liberally; they have the best rooms, the best laboratories; the best
music, the best art, are supplied to them. If they have talent they have
every chance of bringing it to the fore, for the education is thorough
and generous. But the school does even more than this. It opens up
scholarships--many scholarships--of great value for those special girls
who call themselves foundationers. Now my dear girls of the Great
Shirley School, you must clearly understand that no establishment of
this kind can be worked except on certain lines, and these lines mean
order, method, and obedience. Rules must be made, and these rules at any
cost must be obeyed. These rules are made not only to enable the girls
to get the best possible education out of the school, but also that the
greater education of mind and heart, which alone can build up a fine and
useful character, may not be neglected. That sort of education can only
be given by conforming to principles. Now, there are certain principles
which every girl who comes into this school is bound to adhere to. She
is bound on all occasions to behave with sobriety, with a sense of
modesty and true womanly feeling; she is never, if she is a true member
of the school, to join herself to rebels who do not believe in its
rules. Now, there is not the slightest doubt that the society which you
girls--a certain number of you--have joined is rebellious, has bad
effects, and has rules of its own which are absolutely contrary to the
rules of the Great Shirley School. It is impossible for you to be
members of this society and to be members of the Great Shirley School.
If, therefore, you do not immediately forsake that society, and
immediately promise here and now that you will give it up forever, we
shall have the painful duty of expelling you from the school. You have a
few minutes in which to decide. Nobody wants to be hard on you; nobody
wants to be hard on your founder, although she must no longer take her
place as a member of this school; but if you don't confess, very
stringent and terrible methods will have to be resorted to."
Miss Ravenscroft here resumed her seat. There was a faint applause which
came from different parts of the room, but was not unanimous, and soon
died away. After that there was silence. Miss Mackenzie bent forward and
made some notes in a little black book which she held upon her lap. Mrs.
Naylor took her handkerchief and wiped the tears from her eyes; the
other governors looked depressed and uneasy. Meanwhile Miss Ravenscroft
sat with her eyes fixed on the different girls in their different forms.
There was no movement. Kathleen drew herself up proudly.
"They're not quite such cads," she said under her breath.
But just as the thought came to her, Miss Mackenzie, the woman most
respected and most dreaded in the whole of Merrifield, rose slowly to
her feet.
"Girls of the Great Shirley School," she said, "your head-mistress, Miss
Ravenscroft, has conveyed to you a message from me and from the other
governors. The message is to the effect that if those silly girls who
have allied themselves to that most ridiculous society, the Wild Irish
Girls, will give the name of their leader, they shall be forgiven. Do
you accept, foundationers, or do you decline?"
Dead silence ensued.
"I presume," said Miss Mackenzie after a pause of a full minute, "that
your silence means refusal I have therefore to turn to a certain young
girl in this school who was a member of the Wild Irish Girls' Society,
and who has now left it.--Ruth Craven, have the goodness to step
forward."
Ruth had been seated in the fourth bench. She rose slowly. Kathleen felt
a curious tremor run through her, but she did not move a muscle; only
when Ruth appeared at the edge of the platform, it was with the greatest
effort she could keep herself from jumping up, taking her hand, and
mounting the platform by her side.
"Step up here, Miss Craven," said Miss Mackenzie.
Ruth did so.
"Will you have the goodness to stand just here, Miss Craven?"
Ruth went to the place indicated.
"You can now face me, and your schoolfellows can also see you.--Girls, I
have requested Ruth Craven to take the prominent position she now
occupies in order that you may all see her. You all know her, do you
not? Those who know Ruth Craven, hold up their hands."
Immediately there was a great show of uplifted hands.
"I presume that you all like her?"
Again the hands went up, and Kathleen's was raised the highest of all.
Ruth's little face, however, remained perfectly white and still; only
her eyes were dark with emotion. She kept thinking of her father.
"I should like that which would make me give _my life_ if necessary," he
had said; and her grandfather had said, "Sometimes when you come out on
the right side of the ledger it means giving _all_ that you possess."
Ruth could scarcely see the faces which rose up like a great ocean
beneath her, but she remembered her father's words very distinctly.
"You all see Ruth Craven," continued Miss Mackenzie. "As far as I know,
she is a good girl; and I judge by your method of answering my question
that she is a popular girl. I know, alas! that she is poor. I have heard
a great deal about her intellectual endowments, and believe that this
school could be of immense advantage to her. I believe, in short, that
she is the typical sort of girl of whom the founders thought when they
instituted this great and noble house of learning. Nevertheless, Ruth
Craven must fall if necessary for the good of the many.--Ruth, I wish to
ask you a certain question. You were a member of that rebellious
society, the Wild Irish Girls?"
"Yes, Miss Mackenzie."
Ruth's "Yes" was very clear; her face looked modest but firm. There was
not the slightest hesitation in the words she uttered. Her speech was
not loud, but it could be heard to the end of the great hall.
"You are no longer a member?"
"No."
"Three days ago I and the other governors sent for you to ask you
certain questions. You refused to answer those questions then. We gave
you three days to consider, telling you that if at the end of that time
you still kept to your resolution there was only one thing for us to do,
and that was to make an example of you in the presence of the entire
school--in short, to take from you your right of membership, and to
expel you from the school, taking from you all privileges, all chances
of acquiring learning and the different valuable scholarships which this
school was opening to you. We came to this most painful resolve knowing
well that it would cast a blight upon your life, that wherever you went
the knowledge that you had been publicly expelled from the Great Shirley
School would follow you--that you would, in short, step down, Ruth
Craven. I quite understand from the expression of your face that you are
the sort of child who imagines that she is doing right when she keeps
back the knowledge which she thinks she ought not to betray; but we
governors do not agree with you. There are six of us here, and we wish
to tell you that if you now refuse the information which we wish to
obtain from you, you will do _wrong_. You are young, and cannot know as
much as we do. We earnestly beg of you, therefore; not to make a martyr
of yourself in a silly and ridiculous cause.--Mrs. Naylor, will you now
say what you think to Ruth Craven?"
"I think, dear child," said Mrs. Naylor, speaking in a tremulous voice,
which could scarcely be heard half-way down the room, "that it would be
best for you not to conceal the truth."
"And I agree," said Mrs. Ross.
"We all agree," said the Misses Scott and Miss Jane Smyth.
"We all think, dear," continued Mrs. Naylor, "that for the sake of any
chivalrous ideas, quite worthy in themselves, it is a considerable pity
for you to spoil your life. You are not the sort of child who could
stand disgrace."
"And you don't look the sort of child who would under ordinary
circumstances act the idiot," said Miss Mackenzie sharply. "As to the
chivalrous nature of your silence, I fail to see it. I hope you have
carefully considered the position and are prepared to act openly and
honorably. By go doing you will save the school and yourself. Now then,
Ruth Craven, will you come a little more forward? Stand just
there.--Girls, you can all see Ruth Craven, can you not?"
The girls held up their hands in token that they could.
"I will therefore at once proceed to question her," continued Miss
Mackenzie.
There was just a moment's pause, and during that complete silence a
dreadful rushing noise came into Kathleen O'Hara's head. The floor for
an instant seemed to rise up as though it would strike her; then she
felt composed, but very cold and white. She fixed her eyes full on Ruth.
"I will hear her out. I must hear the thing out," she kept saying to
herself. "Afterwards--afterwards--But I must hear the whole thing out."
Miss Mackenzie turned, and in a very emphatic voice began to question.
"You are prepared to reply to the following questions?" she said.
Ruth's very steady eyes were raised; she fixed them on Miss Mackenzie.
Her lips were firmly shut. Nothing could be quieter than her attitude;
she did not show a trace of emotion. Always pale, she looked a little
paler now than her wont. Her darks eyes seemed to darken and grow full
of intense emotion; otherwise no one could have told that she was
suffering or feeling anything in particular.
"But I know what she is going through," thought Kathleen. She clenched
her hands so tightly that the nails went into the delicate flesh. She
was glad of the pain; it kept her from screaming aloud.
"The first question I have to ask," said Miss Mackenzie, "is this: How
many of the foundation girls have joined the rebels?"
Ruth came a step nearer.
"How many? I can't quite hear you."
"I am sorry," said Ruth then, "but I can't tell you."
Miss Mackenzie, without any show of emotion, immediately entered Ruth's
answer in a little book which she held in her hand.
"Oh, don't, Miss Mackenzie! Don't be harsh," gasped little Mrs. Naylor.
Miss Mackenzie, as though she had not heard the voice of her sister
governor, proceeded:
"What is the name of the founder of the society?"
"I am not prepared to say," replied Ruth.
Again this answer was recorded.
"Can you give me an exact account of the rules of the society, its
motives, its bearing generally?"
The same negative reply was the result of this question.
"Do you know anything whatever of the disgraceful escapade which took
place last night, when a certain number of the members of this society
went to London and returned by themselves at midnight?"
Ruth's face cleared a little at this question.
"I cannot answer because I know nothing," she said.
A slight look of relief was visible on the faces of the unfortunate
girls who had gone to town with Kathleen on the preceding night. A few
more questions were asked, Ruth replying on every occasion in the
negative. "I can't say," or "I will not say," were the only words that
were wrung from her lips.
"In short," said Miss Mackenzie very quietly, "you have decided, Ruth
Craven--you, an ignorant, silly little girl--to defy the governors of
this school. All justice has been dealt out to you, and all patience.
The consequence of your mad action has been explained to you with the
utmost fullness. You have been given time--abundant time--to consider.
You have chosen, from what false motives it is impossible to say--"
"My dear," interrupted Mrs. Naylor, "the child means well, I am
assured."
"From what false motives it is impossible to say," continued Miss
Mackenzie, not taking the slightest notice of the little governor's
futile appeal, "you have decided to wreck your own life and to ruin the
school. It was to have been your noble privilege to save the school in a
time of extremity. You have chosen the unworthy course. It is therefore
my painful duty to call upon Miss Ravenscroft as head-mistress to expel
you, Ruth Craven, from this school. You are no longer a member of the
Great Shirley School; you are--"
"Hold!" cried Kathleen.
Her voice rang out sharp and clear. It was heard all over the school,
and was so imperative, so startling, so unexpected, that even Miss
Mackenzie lost her self-control and fell back in silence.
"Hold!" cried Kathleen again. "You have said enough. I don't think you
ought to go on. You are torturing the noblest girl in the world. But
Kathleen O'Hara, bad as she is, cannot endure this last insult.
Girls--Wild Irish Girls, you who belong to my society--I as your queen
desire you to come forward. Come forward in a body at once."
What was there in the young voice that impelled? What was there in the
young face that stimulated, that caused fear to slink out of sight and
courage to come to the fore, that caused hearts to beat high with
generous emotion? Not a single girl failed Kathleen in this moment of
her appeal. They clambered over their seats; they bent under the forms;
they got out in any fashion, until she was surrounded by the sixty girls
who formed her society. She glanced round her; her dark-blue eyes grew
full of sweetness, and there was a look on her face which made the girls
for the moment feel that they would die for her.
"Come, girls," said their queen--"come; there is room on the platform."
She sprang up the couple of steps without another word, and the girls
followed her.
"Do what you like with Ruth Craven, Miss Mackenzie," she cried; "but put
your questions over again to me, and I will answer them one after the
other. Then expel me and my companions; turn us out of the school, but
keep the girl who would be a credit to you."