inutes, but
it seemed like a thousand years. However, she felt little sympathy for
Judy, bruised temple or not.

"Get up from there and get to your bed," she whispered. "And I want to
hear from you exactly what you were doing down there and where you got
that ladder."

"The rope ladder belonged to Anne White," Judy answered in a stifled
voice. "I borrowed it to win a wager from Adele. Of course, I don't mean
to blame her, but she teased me into it. It was silly, I know, looking
back on it now."

"What was the bet?"

"She bet that I would be afraid to climb down that ladder at midnight
when the ghost is supposed to walk. I was simply to climb down, touch
the ground and climb back again."

"Idiots, both of you," said Molly furiously.

"I know it, and I am sorry now," said the penitent Judy, "but
fortunately no harm has been done except to my silly head, which needed
a good whacking, anyhow."

"No harm," thought Molly angrily. "I wonder what's going to happen to me
to-morrow. One of us will be expelled, I suppose. Miss Walker is already
down on Judy."

"Thank you for coming down to me, Molly, dearest."

Molly closed the door.

"Judy, I want you to promise me something," she said. "If you get out of
this scrape----"

"But no one knows it but you."

"I have no idea of telling on you, Judy, but things leak out. How do
you know you weren't observed?"

Judy looked startled.

"I want you to promise me to give up this Adele Windsor and her crowd.
She's never done you any good. She's a malicious, dangerous, wicked girl
and if you haven't the sense to see it, I'll just tell you."

This was strong language coming from Molly.

"If you don't, mid-years will certainly see your finish, if you aren't
dropped sooner. You're not studying at all and you are simply acting
outrageously, dyeing your hair and borrowing rope ladders. I'm disgusted
with you, Judy Kean, I am indeed."

"Miss Walker has a grudge against me," announced Judy, in a hot whisper.

"Nonsense," said Molly, and she swept out of the room and crawled into
her bed, very weary and cold and frightened, wondering what the morrow
would bring forth in the way of punishment for her--or was it to be for
Judy?

In the meantime, foolish Judy carefully coiled up the rope ladder and
hid it in the bottom of her trunk.

CHAPTER XVI.

ON THE GRILL.

Not a word did Molly say to Nance or the unsuspecting Judy next morning
about her appointment with Pres