y voice murmured--

"Is't morning? Time get up?"

"Morning, no! It is not nine o'clock, and Miss Phipps thought you would
certainly be awake, with so much music going on; but it's no use, I must
wake you, whatever happens! Here's your dressing-gown. Here are your
bedroom slippers. You have to come downstairs with me this minute!"

"Am I the queen?" asked Pixie, waking up all in a moment, and peering
mischievously into Margaret's face. "When you are wakened up in the
middle of the night, and taken downstairs in your dressing-gown and
slippers, it's either a fire, or you are the queen, and the courtiers
are waiting to kiss your hand. You know it is, Margaret! You have seen
it in the pictures!"

"Yes, I've seen it? and perhaps there may be courtiers waiting for you,
Pixie; and kisses too, and a dear little crown to put on that shaggy
head! Great excitements have happened since you went to bed, and we
know now that it was not you who broke Mademoiselle's scent-bottle. We
are almost certain that it was Lottie herself, and Miss Phipps has sent
for you to help us!"

Pixie gave a start of dismay, and the laughter died out of her face,
leaving it scared and white. Her fingers tightened round Margaret's
arm, and she hung back trembling as they neared the schoolroom door.
Another moment and they stood within the threshold, looking round on
what seemed suddenly to have taken upon itself the aspect of a court of
justice. The girls were as before ranged round the walls, and at the
end of the room stood a row of teachers; Fraulein and Miss Bruce flushed
and excited, Mademoiselle with tears in her eyes, Miss Phipps with an
awful sternness of expression, which gave place to a momentary softness
as she looked at the new-comers. Pixie glanced at them all, one after
the other, and from them to the figure standing in the centre of the
room, like a prisoner at the bar, her face white as her dress, her eyes
full of terror and despair. She gave a sharp cry of distress, and
rushed forward with outstretched arms.

"Lottie, Lottie, I didn't tell! I never told--Lottie, Lottie, I kept my
word!"

A deep murmur sounded through the room as each hearer drew her breath in
a sob of mingled conviction and regret, and of all the number Lottie
seemed the most affected. She burst into a paroxysm of tears, clasped
Pixie in an hysterical embrace, then, thrusting her aside, turned
eagerly towards Miss Phipps.

"Oh, I will tell--I will!