home, she saw a figure dart around the building and come in
the door.

It was Edith Whalen.

Bet wanted to go herself and confront the girl, but thought better of
it and kept to the plan she and Mr. Sills had made. She ran to the
office and called the principal.

Edith had tiptoed into the classroom, selected the book she wanted and
turned to go. At the door she met Mr. Sills.

"I would like to see you in the office, Edith," he said quietly.

Edith clutched the book and quickly hid it under her coat, wishing she
could find a place to drop it when Mr. Sills was not looking. But
there was no chance to get rid of it.

When they reached the office, the principal said quietly, "Edith, give
me the book you have there."

The girl hesitated. He extended his hand.

"It's the Latin key from Miss Owens' desk. I want it." Then as Edith
hesitated still, he demanded: "Pass it over at once."

"Now sit down here and tell me the whole story. Why did you put that
book in Kit Patten's desk?"

Edith started to deny that she had done so, then decided to be
perfectly silent.

Finally after an hour, during which time the principal made threats of
expulsion, the girl finally broke down and confessed.

In the meantime Bet had gone to the phone and called Miss Owens and
Kit, according to the understanding with Mr. Sills.

It was Kit who begged for Edith. "Don't expel her, Mr. Sills. I'm
sure she won't do such a thing again." Kit even objected to a class
apology for the girl but Mr. Sills was firm in this.

And when school opened the next day Edith had to face the class and say
that she had put the book into Kit's desk in order to get her into
trouble.

Kit was thankful that the suspicion against her was gone, but she
pitied Edith.

"I don't understand her!" exclaimed the girl to her friends later.
"I'm anxious to be friends and she won't let me."

Several days later when she met Edith face to face in the dressing
room, Edith exclaimed: "Get out of my sight, I hate you!"

CHAPTER IX

SHIRLEY'S SHOP

Although Kit made every effort to be friendly with Edith Whalen, she
had to acknowledge herself beaten. As Merriweather Girls, the four
chums felt that they should be able to win her, but Edith refused to
notice any advances made by the girls and while she was not
aggressively unpleasant, they felt her smoldering dislike.

"We'll just have to give up and let her alone," advised Bet. "If we
appear too anxi