"I have," said Fanny. "You had better explain your motive. Things will be easier for us both afterwards, won't they?" "Yes," said Fanny in a low tone, "that is true." "Go on, then," said Betty. "I want to speak about the Specialities." "Oh, I thought you were coming to them! They are to meet to-night, are they not, in Susie Rushworth's room?" "That is correct." "And I am to be present?" said Betty. "You are to be present, if you will." "Why do you say 'if you will?' You know quite well that I shall be present." "Martha West will also be there," continued Fanny. "She will go through very much the sort of thing you went through last week, and she will be given a week to consider before she finally decides whether she will join. Betty, have you made up your mind what to do? You might tell me, mightn't you? I am your own--your very own--cousin, and it was through my father you got admitted to this school." "Thanks for reminding me," said Betty; "but I don't know that I do feel as grateful as I ought. Perhaps that is one of the many defects in my nature. You have praised me in a kind way, but you don't know me a bit. I am full of faults. There is nothing good or great about me at all. You had best understand that from the beginning. Now, I may as well say at once that I intend to be present at the Specialities' meeting to-night." "You do! Have you read Rule I.?" "Oh, yes, I have read it. I have read all the rules." "Don't you understand," said Fanny, speaking deliberately, "that there is one dark spot in your life, Betty Vivian, that ought to preclude you from joining the Specialities? That dark spot can only be removed by confession and restitution. You know to what I allude?" Betty stood up. Her face was as white as death. After a minute she said, "Are you going to do anything?" "I ought; it has troubled me sorely. To tell you the truth, I did not want you to be admitted to the club; but the majority were in your favor. If ever they know of this they will not be in your favor. Oh, Betty, you cannot join because of Rule I.!" "And I will join," said Betty, "and I dare you to do your very worst!" "Very well, I have nothing more to say. I am sorry for you, Betty Vivian. From this moment on remember that, whatever wrong thing you did in the past, you are going to do doubly and trebly wrong in the future. You are going to take a false vow, a vow you cannot keep. God help you! you will be miserable enough! But even now there is time, for it is not yet four o'clock. Oh, Betty, I haven't spoken of this to a soul; but can you not reconsider?" "I mean to join," said Betty. "Rule I. will not, in my opinion, be broken. The rule is that each member keeps no secret to herself which the other members ought to know. Why ought they know what concerns only me--me and my sisters?"