n. I'll ask who's
taken it."

The head prefect made an instant tour of the school, proclaiming the
loss, and demanding instant restoration. The school, as one girl,
utterly denied the accusation.

"But look here!" persisted Geraldine. "_Some__body_ must have taken it.
It couldn't walk out of Hilary's desk by itself! She _knows_ she left it
there yesterday. If anybody's hiding it for a joke, please give it back
at once. If it's not brought back by nine o'clock I shall tell Miss
Todd. Yes, I'm in earnest! Dead earnest!"

Seniors, intermediates, and juniors, very much astonished, retired to
their form rooms and talked the matter over; but nobody produced the
missing manuscript. During the course of the morning Miss Todd entered
the intermediate room.

"A disagreeable thing has happened, girls," she said. "Somebody has
taken Hilary's essay from her desk. If it was done as a joke, I consider
it a very sorry joke! Does anyone in this room know anything about the
matter? If so, she must speak out at once and tell me."

Miss Todd looked searchingly at the faces before her, and waited for an
answer; but nobody spoke. There was a flush of annoyance on her cheeks,
and that firm set about the mouth which generally indicated a danger
signal.

"I intend to get to the bottom of it. It can't possibly be overlooked,"
she remarked, as she left the room to go and catechize the juniors.

For the rest of the morning lessons went on as usual. Immediately after
dinner, however, Diana received a message to report herself in the
study. She went slowly. She was still thinking; she had been doing
nothing else but think since that midnight excursion down the stairs. It
was rather a white-faced, anxious-eyed little Diana who entered the
study. Miss Todd was sitting at her desk, and Hilary and Geraldine stood
near her. They looked half resentful and half nervous.

"Diana," began Miss Todd, "I've sent for you because I believe you're
the only girl who can throw any light on this most distressing business.
I'm going to ask you a straight question. Have you taken Hilary's
manuscript? I expect a straight answer."

"No," breathed Diana, looking down on the floor.

"Look me in the face, Diana. Do you know where it is? Or anything at all
about it?"

Diana's eyes raised themselves to the level of the Principal's knee, and
then fell to the floor. She did not answer.

"Geraldine tells me that she saw you at Hilary's desk yesterday
evening."