nder the edge of my platform, but that is of no
concern."

"But, Miss Elton----" stammered Maysie, growing suddenly confused.

"You have no excuse," put in Miss Elton, and her voice was all the
harder because of the disappointment that she felt. "This is a piece of
your paper, is it not?"

Maysie admitted that it was.

"And your diagram?"

"Yes; at least----"

"Is it, or is it not?"

Maysie's voice was very low.

"Yes, it is," she said.

Silence ensued, a brief, awkward silence. It was at this moment that
Maysie made up her mind. She would not clear herself at the expense of
her chum! Ruth should not be expelled through her!

Miss Elton believed _her_ guilty; she would not undeceive her.

Miss Elton waited with her eyes on Maysie's paintings.

They were done as no other girl in the school would have done them, but
the thought afforded her no satisfaction, though she had always
prophesied great things of Maysie. Then she glanced at the child's
downcast face.

"I am sorry about this, Maysie," she said, with the faintest suspicion
of reproach in her voice, "I thought we were better friends."

A lump came into Maysie's throat, and the tears into her eyes. She
looked at the microscope, at the tiny glass slides, at her unfinished
sheet; but she had nothing to say.

"Of course," continued Miss Elton, "I shall have to show it to Miss
Bennet. This comes, no doubt, of your friendship with Ruth. I have
always said that she would do you no good."

Maysie listened with a swelling heart. Supposing Ruth should be sent
for, and hear the whole story? Miss Elton was at the door; she ran up to
her in desperation.

"Miss Elton," she faltered, "don't say anything to the girls, will you?"

Miss Elton made no promise. The petition made her think no better of
Maysie.

The Fourth Form girls soon discovered that Maysie was in trouble, but no
one could get anything out of her. Ruth was forbidden to join her in
recreation, but on Sunday evening she managed to get a few minutes' talk
with her.

"Do tell me what the row's about, Maysie," she said.

"Oh, nothing much," said Maysie. "Do let's talk about something else."

"But I always thought you liked Miss Elton?"

"So I do. Can't you get into a row with a mistress you like?"

"Well, I'd apologise, if I were you. She was very nice to me."

"I can't, so it's no good." And Maysie sat silent, confronting this new
difficulty with a sinking heart. For how could she apologi