Madge disappeared around the corner. Ruth had darted into the heavily shaded space between the end of the main building and the next brick structure. There were no lights here, but there was a gas lamp on a post beyond the far corner, and before she was half way to it, she saw a shadow flit across the illuminated space about this post, and disappear behind a clump of snowball bushes.
Ruth ran swiftly forward, dodged around the other end of the clump of thick bushes, and suddenly collided with somebody who uttered a muffled scream. Ruth grabbed the girl by both shoulders and held on.
It was like trying to hold a wildcat. The girl, who was considerably smaller, and far slighter than Ruth, struggled madly to escape. She did not say a word at first, only straining to get away from Ruth’s strong grip.
“Now stop! now wait!” panted Ruth. “I want to know who you are——”
The other tugged her best, but the girl of the Red Mill was very strong for her age, and she held on.
“Stop!” panted Ruth again. “If you make a noise, you’ll bring old Tony here—and then you will be in trouble. I want to know who you are and what you were doing down there at the fountain—and why you pushed Sarah into the water?”
“And I’d like to push you in!” ejaculated the other girl, suddenly. “You let go of me, or I’ll scratch you!”
“You can’t,” replied Ruth, firmly. “I’m holding you too tight.”
“Then I’ll bite you!” vowed the other.
“Why—you’re a regular wild girl,” exclaimed Ruth. “You stop struggling, or I’ll shout for help, and then Tony will come running.”