ou ask Michael
to step for a moment into the school-room?"

Several of the girls now indeed held their breath, and more than one
heart beat with heavy, frightened bumps as a moment later Michael
followed Miss Good into the room, carrying the redoubtable picnic-basket
on his arm.

"Michael," said Mrs. Willis, "I wish you to tell the young ladies exactly
how you found the basket this morning. Stand by my side, please, and
speak loud enough for them to hear."

After a moment's pause Michael related somewhat diffusely and with an
occasional break in his narrative the scene which had occurred between
him and Moses that morning.

"That will do, Michael; you can now go," said the head mistress.

She waited until the old servant had closed the door, and then she turned
to her girls:

"It is not quite a fortnight since I stood where I now stand, and asked
one girl to be honorable and to save her companions. One girl was guilty
of sin and would not confess, and for her sake all her companions are now
suffering. I am tired of this sort of thing--I am tired of standing in
this place and appealing to your honor, which is dead, to your truth
which is nowhere. Girls, you puzzle me--you half break my heart. In this
case more than one is guilty. How many of the girls in Lavender House are
going to tell me a lie this morning?"

There was a brief pause; then a slight cry, and a girl rose from her seat
and walked up the long school-room.

"I am the most guilty of all," said Annie Forest.

"Annie!" said Mrs. Willis, in a tone half of pain, half of relief, "have
you come to your senses at last?"

"Oh, I'm so glad to be able to speak the truth," said Annie. "Please
punish me very, very hard; I am the most guilty of all."

"What did you do with this basket?"

"We took it for a picnic--it was my plan, I led the others."

"Where was your picnic?"

"In the fairies' field."

"Ah! At what time?"

"At night--in the middle of the night--the night you went to London."

Mrs. Willis put her hand to her brow; her face was very white and the
girls could see that she trembled.

"I trusted my girls----" she said; then she broke off abruptly.

"You had companions in this wickedness--name them."

"Yes, I had companions; I led them on."

"Name them, Miss Forest."

For the first time Annie raised her eyes to Mrs. Willis' face; then she
turned and looked down the long school-room.

"Oh, won't they tell themselves?" she said.

Noth