ooked at Blue Bonnet
suspiciously, and watched her as she got out her books.

Blue Bonnet opened her Latin, but the words danced before her eyes.
Study was out of the question. Her mind and heart centred upon Carita.
Poor little Carita, white and forlorn, miles and miles away from her
father, her mother, shut up in a room with a woman she scarcely knew,
the thought was intolerable.

For a few minutes she sat thinking. How could she get word to Aunt
Lucinda? There was the long distance telephone, but she hardly knew how
to manage that; there might be complications, and then any one could
hear, the telephone was so publicly placed.

Suddenly it flashed over her that she could get a letter--a special
delivery--to Woodford that afternoon. One of the day pupils would mail
it.

Unmindful of Fraulein's watchful eye, she leaned over and spoke to her
seat-mate, Ethel Merrill.

"Would you do me a favor, Ethel?" she asked.

"Surely," Ethel replied.

Blue Bonnet explained--a bit indefinitely. It was a letter--a very
important one--that must be mailed at noon.

Ethel promised to take it without fail.

Blue Bonnet got out some paper and began writing hastily.

"DEAR AUNT LUCINDA:--Will you please come up at once. Carita is
sick. The doctor doesn't know yet what's the matter with her, he
can't tell for forty-eight hours,--"

"Miss Ashe!"

Fraulein's stentorian tones rang out sharply.

Blue Bonnet looked up, startled.

"What haf you there, Miss Ashe? This is a time for study, not for the
writing of letters."

Blue Bonnet remained silent.

"You may bring the paper to the desk, Miss Ashe."

Blue Bonnet gathered up her books, picked up the letter which she had
been writing and tore it into bits. Then she got up and started to leave
the room.

Fraulein was white with anger.

"Come back to your seat, this instant, Miss Ashe," she demanded.

Blue Bonnet continued on her way out of the room.

Fraulein ran after her, insisting upon her return.

Blue Bonnet hurried to her room, and, entering, locked the door behind
her. She dropped her books on the table, and for a moment sat staring
out of the window. What should she do? She had defied several rules that
morning. Perhaps they would expel her. Well, they could! She wasn't
particularly anxious to remain in the school if Fraulein Herrmann did,
anyway. The house hardly seemed large enough for both.

Suddenly she sat up with a start. There was Cousin Tracy