trachey entered and strode to his desk, Laura
suddenly grew calm, and could take note of everything that passed.

The Principal raised his hand, to enjoin a silence that was already
absolute.

"Will Miss Johns stand up!"

At these words, spoken in a low, impressive tone, Bertha burst into
tears and hid her face in her handkerchief. Hundreds of eyes sought the
unhappy culprit as she rose, then to be cast down and remain glued to
the floor.

The girl stood, pale and silly-looking, and stared at Mr. Strachey much
as a rabbit stares at the snake that is about to eat it. She was a very
ugly girl of fourteen, with a pasty face, and lank hair that dangled to
her shoulders. Her mouth had fallen half open through fear, and she did
not shut it all the time she was on view.

Laura could not take her eyes off the scene: they travelled, burning
with curiosity, from Annie Johns to Mr. Strachey, and back again to the
miserable thief. When, after a few introductory remarks on crime in
general, the Principal passed on to the present case, and described it
in detail, Laura was fascinated by his oratory, and gazed full at him.
He made it all live vividly before her; she hung on his lips,
appreciating his points, the skilful way in which he worked up his
climaxes. But then, she herself knew what it was to be poor--as Annie
Johns had been. She understood what it would mean to lack your
tram-fare on a rainy morning--according to Mr. Strachey this was the
motor impulse of the thefts--because a lolly shop had stretched out its
octopus arms after you. She could imagine, too, with a shiver, how easy
it would be, the loss of the first pennies having remained
undiscovered, to go on to threepenny-bits, and from these to sixpences.
More particularly since the money had been taken, without exception,
from pockets in which there was plenty. Not, Laura felt sure, in order
to avoid detection, as Mr. Strachey supposed, but because to those who
had so much a few odd coins could not matter. She wondered if everyone
else agreed with him on this point. How did the teachers feel about
it?--and she ran her eyes over the row, to learn their opinions from
their faces. But these were as stolid as ever. Only good old Chapman,
she thought, looked a little sorry, and Miss Zielinski--yes, Miss
Zielinski was crying! This discovery thrilled Laura--just as, at the
play, the fact of one spectator being moved to tears intensifies his
neighbour's enjoyment.--But when