What did Ruthie do that made her go to her tent and cry?

Ruthie wouldn't take turns playing with the children, and when she didn't get her way;

"Ruthie sprang at her, slapped her, pushed her, and wrested the mallet from her hands. "I says I was gonna play," she said triumphantly."

After she was done, an older woman walked up and told the children they had to let her play, this made it not quite so much fun anymore. You know thw old saying, "kill 'em with kindness." Ruth ended up having to pretend she was having a good time, and then she went to her tent and cried.

"The elderly lady stood up and walked onto the court. Ruthie scowled fiercely and her hands tightened on the mallet. The lady said, "Let her play-like you done with Ralph las' week."

The children laid their mallets on the ground and trooped silently off the court. They stood at a distance and looked on with expressionless eyes. Ruthie watched them go. Then she hit a ball and ran after it. "Come on, Winfiel'. Get a stick," she called. And then she looked in amazement. Winfield had joined the watching children, and he too looked at her with expressionless eyes. Defiantly she hit the ball again. She kicked up a great dust. She pretended to have a good time. And the children stood and watched. Ruthie lined up two balls and hit both of them, and she turned her back on the watching eyes, and then turned back. Suddenly she advanced on them, mallet in hand. "You come an' play," she demanded. They moved silently back at her approach. For a. moment she stared at them, and then she flung down the mallet and ran crying for home. The children walked back on the court."