asked Winifrede Mason darkly. "If it
really was a practical joke, then whoever did it needs hounding out of
the place."

"She'll meet with scant mercy when she's found!" agreed Meg Hutchinson.

Marjorie said nothing at all. Her brain was in a whirl. The events of
the afternoon rose up like a spectre and haunted her. She felt she
needed a confidante. At the earliest possible moment she sought Chrissie
alone, and told her how she had run up into the Observatory and seen
Miss Norton there.

"Do you think it's possible Norty could have lighted that lamp?" she
asked.

Chrissie whistled.

"It looks rather black against her certainly. What was she doing up in
the Observatory?"

"She put something inside a box."

"Did you see what it was?"

"No."

"It might have been a bicycle lamp?"

"It might have been anything as far as I can tell."

"Did she strike a match as if lighting a lamp?"

"No, but of course she might have put the lamp inside the box and then
come up at dusk to light it."

Chrissie shook her head and whistled again softly. She appeared to be
thinking.

"Ought I to tell the Empress?" ventured Marjorie.

"Not unless you want to get yourself into the very biggest row you've
ever had in your life!"

"Why?"

"Why? Don't you see, you silly child, that Norty would deny everything
and throw all the blame upon you? Naturally the Empress would ask: 'What
were you doing in the Observatory?' Even if she didn't suspect you of
putting the light there yourself--which it is quite possible she
might--she'd punish you for breaking bounds; and when you've only just
been in trouble already----"

"It's not to be thought of," interrupted Marjorie quickly. "You're quite
right, Chrissie. The Empress would be sure to side with Norty and blame
me. I'd thought of going and telling her, and I even walked as far as
the study door, but I was too frightened to knock. I'm glad I asked you
about it first."

"Of course the whole business may be a rag. It's the kind of wild thing
some of those silly Juniors would do."

"It may; but, on the other hand, the light may have been a signal. It
seems very mysterious."

"Don't tell anybody else what you've told me."

"Rather not. It's a secret to be kept even from the S.S.O.P. I shan't
breathe a word to a single soul."

CHAPTER XVII

The Dance of the Nations

Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no
information as to who had placed the l