and you came and asked
me for it."

"So I did, and brought you back notes instead."

Raymonde shook her head.

"You certainly didn't."

"What nonsense, Ray! You know I brought them," protested Veronica
indignantly. "You were practising, and I said: 'Don't stop, I'll put
them inside your drawer.' Hermie was with me at the time."

A conscious look spread over Raymonde's face. She blushed hotly.

"Was it last Friday?" she asked quickly.

"Of course it was Friday. The notes must be in your drawer. Have you
the key? Then come along, and we'll go and find them."

Raymonde unwillingly followed Veronica upstairs. Her manner was
embarrassed in the extreme. She unlocked her drawer in the bureau, and
turned out the possessions she had there, but no notes were among
them.

"What's become of them?" demanded Veronica sharply.

"I--I really don't know!" faltered Raymonde.

"Then you must find out. As treasurer for your Form, you are
responsible."

"You're sure you put them in my drawer, and not in anybody else's?"

"Certain. It was the bottom one on the right-hand side, and it was
open just as you left it when you gave me the silver. I couldn't be
mistaken."

Raymonde flung herself down on a chair, and buried her face in her
hands.

"I want to think," she murmured.

Veronica gazed at her with growing suspicion.

"I'm sorry, but it's my duty to report this to Miss Beasley," she
remarked freezingly.

"Oh, no, please!" pleaded Raymonde, starting up in great agitation.
"Can't you give me just a few days, and then--well perhaps it will be
all right. Leave it over till Saturday."

"It will be all wrong!" said the monitress sternly. "I can't
understand you, Raymonde, for either you have the money or you
haven't. If you have, you must hand it over; and if you haven't, we've
got to find out where it's gone. That's flat! So come along with me at
once to the study."

The Principal, on being told the facts of the case, was astonished and
distressed.

"There may possibly be some misunderstanding," she urged. "Before
anybody is accused we will make sure that the notes were not placed in
a wrong drawer. Tell every member of the Fifth to come at once to the
practising-room, and bring her keys. You will go upstairs with me,
Raymonde."

Veronica's message spread consternation through the Form. The girls
trooped to the sanctum with scared faces. They found Miss Beasley
there, looking very grave, and Raymonde, her eyes dow