rough the window without any difficulty.
There was nobody in the study, but the electric light was turned on. I
walked over to the writing-table, and I remember noticing the sovereign
lying at the corner, on the top of a pile of letters. There were ever
so many papers strewn about, and some of them were our house conduct
reports for the term, which Miss Maitland was evidently just beginning
to fill in. I was so anxious to see if mine was there that I stretched
over and took some of them in my hand, to look at them. Then I thought
I heard a step in the passage, and I didn't want to be caught, so I
popped them quickly back, and went down the tree a good deal faster
than I had gone up. I took off my blouse as usual that night, and put
it away in my middle drawer, and next day I wore a clean one. Then this
morning, when I was dressing, I looked at the first blouse, to see if
it were really soiled and ready for the laundry. To my horror, out
tumbled a sovereign on to the floor! I can only suppose it must have
slipped inside my turnover cuff, when I reached across the table; I
certainly hadn't the least idea it was there. I couldn't think what to
do! I hoped I might be able to smuggle it back on to the table, and
I've been watching all day, but there has never been the slightest
opportunity to go into the study. I didn't dare to tell Miss Maitland,
from fear she would think I'd taken it on purpose. She wouldn't believe
Honor, so I thought she wouldn't believe me either. Oh! isn't it all
dreadful?"

"It is indeed," said Janie; "especially as Honor has had to bear the
blame. It isn't the first time she has acted scapegoat for you!"

"I know what you mean," sobbed Flossie. "Vivian thought it was she who
shammed ghost that night when I played a trick upon Evelyn Fletcher. I
didn't intend to get Honor into trouble. I was very sorry about it;
still, what could I do?"

"Do! Why, you ought to have told Vivian at once. Any girl with a spark
of honour would have known that."

"You'd better make a clean breast of everything now," suggested
Lettice.

"I daren't! I daren't!" cried Flossie, in an agony of alarm.

"I don't believe you need be afraid of Miss Maitland," said Janie.
"You've only taken the sovereign by accident. She would be far more
angry with you for not owning up."

"If you don't tell her, I shall go to her myself," threatened Lettice.

It was dreadfully difficult to screw Flossie's courage up to the
required point