ere's Hester," exclaimed Boris, "they'll tell us;
oh, and there's Nan, too. Hullo Nan, come here and tell us what the
rumpus is about."

Nan rushed up excitedly.

"Nora is nearly killed," she said; "she fell from a tree over twenty
feet from the ground, and her back is hurt awfully, and Hester said
she'd better come here, and she's lying in the library and Dr. Jervis is
there. I haven't the faintest idea how it happened," continued Nan;
"only it seems to be your fault, Annie; it seems to have something to do
with you and a secret, only Kitty won't tell."

Kitty ceased to cry; she raised her face and looked at Annie. Annie
struggled to her feet.

She was about to reply to Nan when Hester came up and spoke to her.

"Oh, Annie," she said, "where have you been all day? We have been
dreadfully anxious about you; and poor Nora has been hurt, and Kitty
seems in trouble of some sort, and says that she won't tell her secret.
What can it all mean?"

"Well, really!" said Annie. She paused a minute; the rich colour mantled
her cheeks; her bright eyes seemed to flash fire.

"I'm awfully sorry about Nora," she said; "but I fail to see how I am to
blame. From your manner, Nan, and yours, Hester, I seem to be accused of
something. What is it, pray?"

"Oh, it's nothing, indeed," said Molly, who had come up now and joined
Hester. "What does it matter, Hetty, when we are all so awfully
wretched? Poor Annie did not mean anything. Do let her alone!"

"I did not mean anything?" echoed Annie. "I'm afraid I can't allow
myself to be let alone. I must find out what I'm accused of. Kitty, you
say you kept my secret safely. Speak now and tell everybody."

"I can't stay to listen," said Molly, turning away; "it's too--too
trivial!"

Hester and Nan, however, still stood facing Annie, and the boys, Guy and
Harry, also came and joined the group.

"Speak, Kitty," said Annie.

"You were kind," said Kitty; "it's wicked to say you weren't kind. You
found out that Boris hadn't come to the picnic, and you said you'd go
back for him; you'd walk back all in the heat, and you didn't mind the
bull, nor the bull-dog, nor--nor--anything; and you said I wasn't to
tell, and 'twould be a surprise when you came back with Boris and,
perhaps, Nell, too--and I promised. Then we had dinner, and you weren't
there, and everybody asked for you and everybody wondered where you
could be; but Hester said you were a sort of 'centric girl, and that you
was grown