The Rebel of the School

of his pockets, and these pockets were destitute of coin. The tramp was hungry and penniless. The little shop with its gay light and tempting articles of stationery, and books and sealing-wax displ

f begging; made straight for the till, pulled it open, and took out a handful of money. He had

to fetch a fresh exercise-book. She noticed nothing amiss on her return, and

ght. Something very unusual is detaining mother. I know what I'll do: I'll shut up the shop at half-past eight, leave a little note for mother, and then go to the quarry as fa

wandered to her other schoolfellows; they wandered to the hardship of having to take care of the shop when she wished to be otherwise employed; and finally they settled themselves on Ru

is the dearest, truest, greatest lady I ever came across. She doesn't think anything of birth, nor of those sort of tiresome distinctions; s

ed for a penn'orth of paper and an envelope. She put down her

d have done if I hadn't recalled that Mrs. Hopkins kept hers open until nine o'clock. I am obliged to you, little girl. I have to send

heerfully. "Mother always keeps

poke, and for the first time no

e not to have shut

e the bull by the horns and to close the shop without further ado. She sent for the little maid in the kitchen to put up the shutters, and in a minute or two the shop was in darkness and Susy was racing through the remainder of her lessons. It would tak

outside. They wanted a penn'orth of paper each. They said, 'We thought you always kept open until nine o'clock,' Now it will spread all over

n the parlor. Susy glanced at her mother, and could no

to be a good way from here at nine o'clock, I couldn't think w

out so much in the evening, Susy; it does make it so hard for me. There's no one now t

r?" said Susy, ignori

that it's nothing but a cold. I never saw such a muddle-headed woman as your aunt Bessie. She hadn't a thing handy in the place. I had to

ought of giving you as much

he teapot, she added, "You might have had the tea-t

ther certainly required if ever a mother did require a daughter. But

ed to go out. If you will give me the latchkey I can let mys

dear," said

t a little kettle on the gas-stove, fetched a clean cup

and jacket, snatched up a pair of gloves,

leen, wouldn't I have a gay time of it? Poor dear mother should drive in a carriage, and I'd ride on my pony by her side; and Tom s

see a number of dark heads surrounding a bright light. This light was caused by two lamps which had been placed on the ground in the old quarry; Kathleen had brought them herself in a hamper. She had managed to buy them that day, and had smuggled them off without any one being the wiser. A large bot

Kate Rourke.-"Oh, is that you

's a wonder I could c

n't come yet," s

rd, and Ruth came and stood at

r brilliant hair. Her cheeks were flaming with color, and her very

nder if you English girls who are assembled here in the old quarry to-night have the le

ll us," cri

t means is to be free-yes, free as the air, free as the mountain streams, free as the dear, darling, glorious, everlasting mountains themselves. Oh, to know freedom and then to be torn away f

quite impossible. If Ireland is your native land, Englan

to get up when you like and to go to bed when you like, to eat what you like, to read what books you like, to row

terrupted the eager words of

introduce what is good of Ireland into England? That is the use of the society as

ving through-taking care of a tiny, very dull little shop. Mother was out looking after a sick child, and I had to mind th

looked all around me, I said to myself, 'If I'm not to have companions, why, I'll die; the heart of Kathleen O'Hara will be broken. Now, who amongst the schoolgirls will suit me? I saw that very dull Cassandra Weldon, and I noticed a few companions of hers who were much the same sort. Then I observed dear, pretty little Ruth Craven, and some one said to me, 'You won't take much notice of Ruth, for she's only a foundation girl.' That made me mad. Oh yes, it did-Give me y

erent speech was received

oung companions had ceased to shout-"just a few big

t a note-book with me, and if you will dic

h," said Kathleen.

course you are queen!" "Darling!" "Dear!" "S

becoming dewy with a sudden emotion. "I think," she added, "I love y

change into our lives, cried a mass of girls

you girls whom I have named are expected to uphold order-such order as is alone necessary for the Wild Irish Girls. You are expected on all occasions to uphold the authority of me, your queen. You are never under any circumstances to breathe a word against dear old Irel

reat show of ha

take down the names of the girls who inten

it was quickly discovered that, out of the hundred foundationers who be

and. "They will be all agog to come on. Their positi

en. "Now, girls, I intend to present you each with a tiny badge. I have a bag f

lamps in order to examine them more thoroughly. She had strung narrow green ribbon through eac

against your hearts, and nobody else will know anything about them. They belong to Ireland and to me-to the

e, but with exactly the same device, to the members of her Cabinet. Finally, she took the box of pale-blue cashmere blouses and opened it in the light of the lamps. The enthusiasm, which had been extremely keen before the appeara

ou could wear them at any time, girls," she added, turning to the members of her Cabinet. "Outsiders won't know. They will wonder at the beauty of your dress, but they won't know what it means;

, who loved fine dress and never could aspire to it, "w

luck," laughed Kathleen. "But the time is passing, and we

up tenderly, and tucked it under her arm. Kathleen desired some one to th

. To stick through thick a

ried eve

le, never to quarrel

was received wi

it of fun all to ourselv

o loud that if the spot had been less lonely some one wo

e hold ourselves aloof from the payin

ndationers were not altogether without friends amongst the ot

e," she said. "I am fond of Alice Tenn

I am devoted to Amelia Dawson,"

ss Kathlee

greeable to every one. My principal object in starting this society is to put those horrid paying girls

l yourself," suddenly

can't help myself. You must allow

and I love yo

leen. "I must insist on my society adheri

t joined. I cannot give up Cassand

h enthusiasm. "I will make it up to you. You shall come with m

but I hate

te Rourke. "It is getting late, and it would ne

gether," said Kathleen. "Well, good

Hopkins felt quite the happiest and most light-hearted of any. By-and-by she and Ruth Craven found themselves the only girls wh

e latchkey with me! It is past ten o'clock. Mot

was s

? Don't you think it is a

she pressed me to join I hated not to; but now I am sorry that

t deal about Cass

splendid girl, and she ha

are quite in

iolently in love with girls, like some of the rest

s she stood with the light of those big lamps upon her? She is a wonderful girl-so graceful, and with such a power of eloquence. And she has such a way of just taking you by stor

ace. She happens to be rich and beautiful, and to have a taking

too, think of the blouses we have got. Oh dear! oh dear! when I put mine on on Sunday mother will gape. I shall feel proud of myself in it. It was just sweet of her to get things like this to giv

rather anxious. I like her, of course, but I think sh

Susy, with so

n't help myself, only I won't hate the girls who are good to me. Good-night, Sus