oth
to her friend and to the school."

Dismissed with honour from the study, Ulyth and Rona were hugging each
other in the privacy of the boot cupboard.

"Can you ever forgive all the horrible things I said?" implored Rona. "I
think I was off my head. I might have known it wasn't--couldn't be
possible; you are you--the one girl I've been trying to copy ever since
I came here."

"You've quite as much to forgive me, dear, and I beg your pardon. I'm so
glad it's all straight and square now."

"You darling! I don't mind telling you it was Tootie who gave me those
chocolates."

"Didn't you buy them from the cake-woman?"

"I never bought anything from her. I didn't join the cake club."

"Then how did she get hold of your New Zealand brooch? She showed it to
me."

"Why, I'd swopped that brooch with Tootie for a penknife ages ago. We're
always swopping our things in IV B."

"The whole business seems to have been a comedy of errors," said Ulyth.
"Some mischievous Puck threw dust in our eyes and blinded us to the
truth."

After all, it was the juniors that suffered most, for Miss Teddington,
who had been very angry at the whole affair, turned the vials of her
wrath upon them, and took them to task for their illicit traffic in
cakes. This, at any rate, she was determined to punish, and not a
solitary sinner was allowed to escape. Tootie, the original leader in
rebellion, issued from her interview in the study such a crushed worm as
to stifle any lingering seeds of mutiny among her crestfallen followers.

"What's to become of Susannah Maude?" asked everybody; and Miss Bowes
answered the question.

"I am taking the poor child back to the Orphanage. I have told the
police to warn her disreputable mother from this neighbourhood; but, as
one can never be certain when she might turn up again, we must remove
Susan altogether out of reach of her evil influence. A party of girls
will be sent from the Home very soon to Canada, and we shall arrange for
her to join them and emigrate to a new country, where she will be placed
in a good situation on a farm and well looked after. She is not really a
dishonest girl, and has a very grateful and affectionate disposition. I
am confident that she will do us credit in the New World, and turn out a
useful and happy citizen. Why yes, girls, if you like to make her a
little good-bye present before she sails, you may do so. It is a kind
thought, and I am sure she will appreciate it greatly