Well, Hester, my dear child, _why_ don't you want Ruth in the club ?" "Because I don't!" and the Queen looked more disagreeable than ever.
"Because you _don't_! Well, now, you see, my dear, that is just no reason at all, so Ruth can be a member, as far as you're concerned." "No, she can't! I won't have her in!" "Why ?" "Because I don't like her!" "Ah, now we're getting at it.

And suppose any of the club shouldn't like you; then you couldn't be a member, could you ?" "They _do_ like me!" declared Hester.
"_Like_ you! like _you_! A girl that flies into rages, and says unkind things?
Oh, no, nobody could like a girl like that! Now, I'll fix it.
You, Hester, won't have Ruth in the club, you say.

Well, then if you're not in the club yourself, of course Ruth could come in.

So, the rest of the club can choose which of you two girls they'd rather have, as it seems impossible to have you both.

King, as the oldest, I'll ask you first.