eat mystery. I got into the costume again, but the
fun was gone. I didn't answer any more questions and I didn't do my
dance. I was looking for you to tell you that the Sphinx was about to
give up the ghost."

"How could Miss West be so spiteful?" asked Grace vexedly. "Where do you
suppose she heard the news, and who told her? You don't suppose--" Grace
stopped abruptly. A sudden suspicion had seized her.

"Don't suppose what?" interrogated Emma sharply.

"Nothing," finished Grace shortly.

"Yes, you do suppose something," declared Emma. "I know just what you
are thinking. You believe as I do, that Miss West listened--"

"Don't say it, Emma!" exclaimed Grace. "We may both be wrong."

"Then you do believe----"

"I don't know," said Grace bravely. "I admit that suspicion points
toward Miss West, but until we know definitely, we must try to be
fair-minded. I have seen too much unhappiness result from misplaced
suspicion. I know of an instance where a girl was sent to Coventry by
her class for almost a year on the merest suspicion."

"Not here?" questioned Emma, her eyes expressing the surprise she felt
at this announcement.

"No," returned Grace soberly. There was finality in her "no."

"And the moral is, don't jump at conclusions," smiled Emma. "Come on
down to my lair while I remove my Sphinx-like garments and step forth as
plain Emma Dean. Don't look so sober, Grace. I've put my suspicions to
sleep. I'll give even Miss West the benefit of my doubt. I will even go
so far as to forgive her for spoiling my fun to-night. Now smile and
say, 'Emma, I always knew you to be the soul of magnanimity.'"

Grace laughed outright at this modest assertion, and obligingly repeated
the required words.

"Now that my reputation has been once more established, and because I
don't feel half so wrathful as I did ten minutes ago," declared Emma,
"let us lay the Sphinx peacefully to rest and do the bazaar arm in arm."

CHAPTER XI

GRACE MEETS WITH A REBUFF

It was several days before the pleasant buzz of excitement created by
the bazaar had subsided. With a few exceptions the Overton girls who had
turned out, almost in a body, to patronize it, were loud in their
praises of the booths, and spent their money with commendable
recklessness. Outside the circus it was difficult to say which booth had
proved the greatest attraction. But late that evening, after the crowd
had gone home and the proceeds of the entertainment we