room was
no longer in darkness, "but I can't help it. I really thought it was a
ghost."

"Who is responsible for this?" asked Vivian indignantly.

"Honor Fitzgerald," replied Meta, without hesitation.

"Are you sure?"

"Whoever it was ran back into No. 8. Janie Henderson would never dream
of doing such a thing, so it must have been Honor."

"She certainly was pretending to be a ghost upstairs," said Vivian. "I
shall go and tell her my opinion of her," and she departed with a very
grim expression on her face.

Janie and Honor were half-asleep when Vivian, like an avenging angel,
entered No. 8.

"Look here, Honor Fitzgerald!" she began, "if you try any more of those
senseless practical jokes, I shall report you to Miss Maitland. I'm
monitress here, and I don't intend to have this kind of thing going on
at St. Chad's."

"What's the matter?" asked Honor, rubbing her eyes.

"Matter, indeed! You know as well as I do. It was a cruel, mean trick
to play upon a nervous, delicate girl like Evie Fletcher."

Honor was considerably astonished. She, of course, knew nothing of
Flossie's escapade, and imagined that the monitress must be referring
to the few words she had said on the upper landing.

"Why, Evie didn't seem to mind all that much!" she retorted.

"You've frightened her most seriously, and I consider it so dangerous
that I'd rather you were expelled from the school than that it should
happen again. I don't want to get you into trouble at head-quarters if
I can help it, so I'll say nothing if you'll promise me faithfully that
this is absolutely the last time you'll ever act ghost."

"Of course I'll promise. I didn't intend to upset Evie. I think both
you and she are making a great fuss about nothing," replied Honor,
lying down once more.

"I'm disgusted with you, Honor Fitzgerald! If you can't realize the
mischief your thoughtlessness has done, you might at least have the
grace to be sorry for it! To amuse yourself by playing on the fears of
a timid girl, younger than you, is the work of a coward--yes, a coward!
That's what I consider you!" and Vivian turned away, full of righteous
wrath, and wondering whether she had adequately fulfilled her
monitorial duty, or whether she ought to have said even more.

CHAPTER IX

Diamond cut Diamond

Honor was both amazed and indignant at Vivian's stern rebuke. She
appealed to Janie in self-justification.

"I don't understand it," she declared. "I only scr