essness of
others. I am very sorry if this has been the case."

Peggy shut her eyes tight, and said "Margaret!" twice to herself. Then
she looked at the Principal.

"Miss Russell," she said,--she tried to steady her voice, but it would
come strange and shaky,--"you are mistaken about me. I am not the kind
of girl you think I am. I--I went out last night without leave, by the
fire-escape."

There was a silence.

"Who induced you--that is, with whom did you go?" asked Miss Russell,
presently.

"I--I didn't say that any one else went."

"No, my dear, you did not say so. But--" and here Miss Russell rose,
and, crossing the room, laid her hand on Peggy's shoulder; "if I know
anything at all of girls, you did not go alone, and you did not go of
your own motion. And--Peggy, if you were not the kind of girl I thought
you, you would not be feeling as you do now about the whole thing."

This was too much. Peggy could have borne, or she thought she could have
borne, anger or scorn, or the cold indifference that is born of
contempt; but the kind tone, the look of affectionate inquiry, the
friendly hand on her shoulder,--all this she could not bear. She
covered her face with her hands and burst into a passion of tears.

It seemed hours that she wept, and sobbed, and wept again. It did not
seem as if she could ever stop, the tears came rushing so fast and so
violently; but however long it was, Miss Russell did not try to stop or
check her, only stood by with her hand on the girl's shoulder, patting
it now and then, or putting back with the other hand--such a soft, firm,
motherly hand it was!--the stray locks which kept falling over Peggy's
face as the sobs shook her from head to foot.

At last, however, the storm abated a little; and then, while Peggy was
trying to dry her tears, and the choking sobs were subsiding into long,
deep breathings, Miss Russell spoke again.

"Peggy, we teachers have to go a good deal by instinct, do you know it?
It is not possible for me, for example, to know every one of seventy-odd
girls as I ought to know her, by actual contact and communion. But I
have acquired a sort of sense,--I hardly know what to call it,--an
insight by means of which I can tell pretty well what a girl's standard
of life is, and how I can best help her. I know that now I can best help
you and myself by saying--and meaning--just what I said before. I place
entire confidence in you, Peggy Montfort."

Peggy looked up in