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 had long ago learned to do, except on rare occasions, remained silent.

Naturally, William Blake desired to become conspicuous in meeting, and hoped to be put upon a committee to confer with Matthew Watson and then with John Bishop. The matter of Ruth's disappearance and subsequent defiance of her step-father could not be overlooked. Ruth was a birthright member of the society, and should she not be disowned?

There were some hard-headed, practical men in the Crosswicks meeting who seldom spoke, but when they did it was to excellent purpose. Caleb Wheatley was one of these. "Had they sought," he asked, "Ruth's reason for her rash act? It was to be as carefully weighed as the statements of Matthew Watson."

How Matthew stared and frowned when he heard this!

"Was John Bishop a party to the affair? Probably; but had they his admission to that effect, or discovered any proof of his complicity? Might they not be groping in the