"You will find out for yourself when you get there." "Dear me!" said Kathleen; "you look as if the deluge was coming." "And so it is," said Alice. She had finished dressing by now, and she went out of the room. The two girls went down to breakfast. Alice's face was still full of an awful suppressed knowledge, which she would not let out to any one; but Mrs. Tennant was smiling and looking just as usual, and the boys were as fond of Kathleen as was their wont. She had completely won their immature masculine hearts, and they invariably sat one on each side of her at meals, helped her to the best the table contained, and fussed over her in a way that pleased her young majesty. Kathleen was very glad that morning to get the boys' attention. She determined to sit with her back slightly turned to Alice, in order not to look into her face. They were about half-way through breakfast when there came a ring at the front-door, and Cassandra Weldon's voice was heard. Alice went out to her. The two girls kept whispering together in the passage. Presently Alice returned to the breakfast-room, and Kathleen now noticed that her eyes were red, as though she had just been indulging in a bout of crying. "What can be the matter?" she thought. "Why, my dear Alice," said her mother, looking up at this moment, "what did Cassandra want? And what is the matter with you? Have you had bad news?" "Yes, mother," answered Alice. "But what is it, dear?" "You will know soon enough, mother." "That is exactly what you said to me upstairs," said Kathleen, driven desperate by Alice's manner. "I do wish you would speak out.--Do get her to speak out, Mrs. Tennant. She hints at something awful going to happen at school to-day. I declare I won't go if it is as bad as that." "It would be like you not to come," said Alice. "But I think you will come. I don't think you will be allowed to be absent." "Allowed!" said Kathleen. "Who is going to prevent me staying away from school if I wish to?" "The vote of the majority," said Alice very firmly. "Now, look here, Kathleen; don't make a fuss. It is wrong for the girls of the Great Shirley School to absent themselves without due reason." "Well, I have a headache. I had one last night." "No, you had not." "Alice, dear, why do you speak to Kathleen like that?" said her mother. "What is the matter with you?--Kathleen, do keep your temper.--Alice, I am sorry something has annoyed you so much." "It is past speaking about, mother. You will understand all too soon.--Kathleen, it is time for us to be going." "I am not going," said Kathleen, "so there!" "Kathleen, you are." "No." "Come, Kathleen; come." "You needn't fuss about me; I am not coming." "Kathleen, dear, I think you ought to go. Go for my sake," said Mrs. Tennant.