at the nine days' wonder was at an end. On Wednesday
evening, however, Judith heard Genevieve's protest when Catherine
hurried off to a gymnasium class, after a vain effort to get rid of a
now increasingly unwelcome visitor.

"You don't have to go yet, Cathy. It's five minutes before the bell will
ring. Do stay and talk to me; I'm awfully miserable."

But Catherine was evidently exasperated and held the door open for
Genevieve, who had no choice but to go too.

"Now," said Judith inelegantly to Nancy, "Genevieve will have another
spasm."

Privately she resolved to play the detective.

She awoke next morning to hear the rain falling steadily. "Ugh," she
thought, "a rainy day and my Latin isn't finished--two horrid things to
begin with." And then she remembered her plans of the night before.
Instantly she was out of bed; she wouldn't try to keep her secret any
longer. Nancy should share it, but she wouldn't tell Sally May until she
had caught Genevieve. Nancy was impressed by Judith's cleverness in
thinking of such a thing, but doubtful about Genevieve's guilt.

"Why, she cried and cried; I saw her," Nancy kept repeating. "She
couldn't have done it herself."

But Judith was not to be shaken in her resolve, and leaving the study
room a little before one o'clock she settled herself in Helen Richard's
cupboard to watch. Fortunately for Judith's plan Helen was in the
Infirmary with a sore throat and through the keyhole of her cupboard
Judith had a clear view of the letter-box.

At a quarter-to-one Miss Marlowe put out the mail, but no one else came
near the box until one o'clock when every one came as usual. Then, when
everything was quiet again, Judith slipped out and caught up with the
others as they went down to the dining-room. Before dinner was quite
over, she asked permission to leave early, and she hid herself once more
in the cupboard.

The afternoon seemed interminably long, and as the cupboard was stuffy
and close, if it had not been for Nancy's chocolates Judith felt that
she could not have kept awake. Her knees ached horribly, for she was in
a cramped position, but she never dreamed of giving up, so sure was she
that something would happen.

And something did happen.

At a quarter-to-five the mail was put out, and as no one had appeared,
Judith was beginning to think that she would have to watch another day,
when suddenly she saw Genevieve come swiftly down the corridor, pause
for an instant at the b