money that Miss Sniffen had--"

"Stolen!" burst out Miss Crilly.

"I'm telling this story!" announced Mrs. Albright placidly. "But
Miss Twining said," she resumed, "that she had promised not to
divulge the name of the lady to any one. So I don't know who it
is. On her way home she had bought a book that she had wanted for
a long time. I told her she'd have to look out or she would get
caught reading it; but she said they always knocked before coming
in, and she should have time to put it on the under shelf of her
table--where the cover partly hides it. I said, 'Well, you look
out now!' and she laughed and promised she would.

"In the evening, as I was sitting alone, I heard talking, and I
went to my door to listen. I thought I knew the voice, and when I
opened the door a crack I was sure whose room it came from. 'Oh,
I'm afraid she's caught her again!' I said to myself, and I waited
till I heard somebody go softly away and down the stairs. Then I
stole over to Miss Twining.

"It was just as I had feared! She was reading all so nice, when
without a mite of warning in sailed Miss Sniffen! Of course she
asked her where she got the book, and she said it was given to her.
But she wouldn't tell the woman's name. Miss Sniffen couldn't get
it out of her! She talked and threatened; but Miss Twining
wouldn't give in. Finally she vowed she'd have it out of her if
she had to flog it out! I could see that Miss Twining was all
wrought up and as nervous as could be--as who wouldn't have been!"

"Oh!" gasped Polly. "It's just awful! Did she whip her?"

Mrs. Albright shook her head and went on.

"Miss Twining said that Amelia Sniffen used to go round in society
with her youngest brother, Walter, and that she was dead in love
with him. Walter fairly hated her, and never paid her the least
attention when he could get out of it; but she would put herself in
his way, as some girls will, until he was married and even
afterwards. And when Alice Twining came here and found that Miss
Sniffen had been appointed superintendent she was almost a mind to
back out; but she hadn't any other place to go, so she stayed, and
she said Miss Sniffen had seemed to take delight in being mean to
her ever since. Well, it's a tight box that Amelia Sniffen has got
herself into this time!" Mrs. Albright sighed.

"Please go on!" whispered Polly.

"Yes, dear. I got Miss Twining to bed, and she quieted down a
little. Finally I left