o'clock."

With Miss Bickford on the war-path no one dared to say a single word,
but at mid-morning interval the injured Camellia Buds snatched their
biscuits, and fled to their grotto in the garden to hold an indignation
meeting. Here they talked fast and freely.

"It's a jolly shame!"

"_Most_ unfair!"

"Poor old Peachy!"

"Who did it?"

"Why, Mabel, of course!"

"Or Bertha?"

"One or other of them!"

"Miss Bickford has noticed their cheating!"

"Yes, and puts it off on to us all!"

"I like that!"

"It's so gloriously fair, isn't it?"

"She may say she's not blind, but she's an absolute cat!"

"What's to be done about it?"

"Those Stars won't ever tell!"

"Trust them to screen themselves!"

"Oh, it's _too_ bad!"

Letting off steam, though comforting to their feelings, did not bring
them any nearer to a solution of their problem. The unpleasant fact
remained that the rival sorority had played an abominable trick, and
that the blame at present rested upon Peachy. To prove her innocence
required the wisdom of Solomon.

If they could have explained the whole situation to Miss Bickford she
would at once have seen for herself that the offender must be among the
ranks of the Stars, but such a proceeding would mean not only an entire
breach of schoolgirl etiquette, but a betrayal of their own secret
society. It was not to be thought of for a moment.

"Peachy'll have to climb down and apologize," decided Jess.

"Peachy eat humble-pie? Oh, good-night!"

"Well, she certainly was cheeky."

"Small blame to her!"

"It was very silly of her, though, to flare out."

"She's in the fix of her life now, poor dear."

"Can't we do anything to help her?"

"I don't know. Let's think it over and hold another meeting this
afternoon."

Peachy's place at the dinner-table was empty that day, and her meal was
sent up to the sanatorium upon a tray. Miss Bickford had told her side
of the story to Miss Rodgers, who agreed that discipline must be
maintained, and ordered the detention of the prisoner until she showed
symptoms of repentance. Meanwhile Peachy, still in an utterly rebellious
frame of mind, stayed upstairs, determined not to give way. It was dull,
undoubtedly, to be banished to solitary confinement, for there was not
even a book in the room to amuse her. Her own thoughts were her sole
occupation. She had a very fertile brain, however, and suddenly a most
brilliant suggestion occurred to her. The san