eaking for several
moments. This, of course, only served to make her angrier than before.

"I didn't ask you all to talk," she said, when at last she could make
herself heard. "It seemed to me I was speaking to Beatrice Bradley. I
will ask it once more," turning to Billie, who was rather white now.
"Were you or were you not the ring-leader of this affair?"

There was absolute quiet in the room while the girls waited miserably
for Billie's answer. They knew her well enough to know what it would be,
even before she spoke.

Then Billie lifted her head and said quietly:

"Yes, Miss Dill, I was the one who started the trouble. I don't think
any of the girls would have thought of it if it hadn't been for me."

A ripple of protest rose behind her, but Miss Dill waved it down
angrily.

"Then by your own confession," she said, something of triumph gleaming
in her eyes, "you have not only broken all the rules of Three Towers but
you have incited the rest of the girls to do likewise. Have you anything
to say for yourself?"

"No, Miss Dill." Billie's voice was so low it could hardly be heard.

"You are not even sorry?" Miss Cora went on relentlessly.

"No," said Billie, lifting her head and looking Miss Cora straight in
the eyes. "We have been nearly starved since Miss Walters left, and some
of the girls have been sick from hunger." Her voice rose a little and
the color came back to her face as she flung out a challenge like a flag
of war. "I'm sorry, Miss Dill, but if I had to, I would do it all over
again."

Miss Cora looked as if she doubted the evidence of her ears, while a
murmur of applause went up from the girls. Oh, but they were proud of
Billie!

"You have heard what she said," Miss Cora Dill turned to the teachers
behind her. "Such insolence can only result in expulsion. Beatrice
Bradley, come with me. The rest of you," she turned fiercely upon the
other girls, "will go up to your dormitories. To-morrow I will deal with
you."

As Billie, dread in her heart at that awful word "expulsion," started
toward Miss Cora Dill, Caroline Brant caught her hand and whispered
reassuringly in her ear.

"Don't worry," she said. "They won't dare expel you. When Miss Walters
hears all about it she will be more than likely to expel them!"

Billie gave her a wan little smile, squeezed her hand gratefully, and
was promptly taken into custody by Miss Cora. Then the teachers stood
aside while the rest of the girls filed past t