ilent.

"Did you hear my question?"

"I did, Miss Baylis."

"Then why do you not answer me. If you are aware which girl did this
silly thing why do you keep silent when you know I am sure to discover
sooner or later?"

"Perhaps for the same reason Beverly has," answered Sally. "But why don't
you ask me if _I_ did it Miss Baylis? I've often done far worse, haven't
I?"

"You are rarely vulgar in your pranks," was Miss Baylis' amazing retort,
which caused the class to gasp. What was back of this extraordinary
hedging?

"Well I _did_ do it, Miss Baylis, and I am perfectly willing to stand the
punishment. Shall I go to Miss Woodhull's office after class?"

"No, I wish to talk with you myself."

Sally looked scornful. Well she knew that Miss Baylis had passed her
vacation at Kittery Point where Uncle Tom Conant, a bachelor had also
passed his. Uncle Tom was rich, good looking and dapper. A lady's man who
charmed every member of the fair sex with whom he was thrown, but with no
more idea of matrimony than of murder in his heart. He was devoted to his
brother's children, as well as the fair sex in general and could no more
help flattering every one of them than he could help petting the children
who were always crowding about him. Some of his stories of Miss Baylis'
"shining up" to him had nearly convulsed his nieces. It was the memory of
these which brought the smile to Sally's lips at the lady's last words.
At that moment the last bell sounded and Miss Baylis was obliged to
dismiss her class as quickly as possible. Miss Woodhull was very
intolerant of tardiness at meals. Upon the instant the release bell
sounded the classes must be dismissed and each girl must hurry to her
room to make herself presentable at luncheon.

"Sally, you will come to me _immediately_ after luncheon. I am deeply
pained that you could be guilty of such deportment. I wish to talk
seriously with you," was Miss Baylis' concluding admonition to the
incorrigible one.

"Yes, Miss Baylis," replied Sally, as she scrambled up her books and
joined the girls all hurrying to their rooms.

Petty lingered to glance beneath chairs and desks for the lost letter. To
her dismay it had vanished completely. She never suspected that Beverly
running upstairs with the others, held it safe in her history. She would
return it to Petty later. Just at present she was too much amused by Miss
Baylis' attitude toward Sally, who had told her of some of the funny
scen