or that would mean trouble for the tale bearer.

"It's something about Dalton," said Edna, really anxious to tell Rose,
but feeling she must keep her promise, as the matter had assumed such
an importance.

Molly declared that Amy Grant had told her it was about Dorothy and
Tavia being in some awful scrape and that they had been arrested for it.

This seemed so ridiculous that Rose-Mary did not for a moment credit it
with being the story that caused the trouble. She would not insult
Dorothy with a hint of that silly gossip, and, if those girls were
foolish enough, she decided, to believe in any such nonsense, why, let
them go right on, they must learn their own lesson. So it happened
that Dorothy did not get the hint--that which would have been enough to
afford her the opportunity of making an explanation. But Edna did
speak pleasantly to her after Rose-Mary's talk, and Molly actually
apologized.

Mrs. Pangborn had been away two days, then a week had passed since the
promise of an investigation, and Mrs. Pangborn was not at school yet.
The girls in Viola's club (they still regarded themselves as being in
it, although the forbidden meetings were suspended), left Rose-Mary,
Dorothy, Molly and Edna entirely to themselves.

"Dick" and "Ned" were charged with telling the story to Rose-Mary,
although they stoutly denied the allegation. But Adele Thomas
suspected them, they had always been such friends of the Dalton girls,
it seemed best to the "Rebs" to keep them out of further affairs of the
kind--they should hear no more of the secrets against the despised
Dorothy.

Even the play was at a standstill, nothing but lessons and sadness
seemed Dorothy's share at Glenwood now. If only Mrs. Pangborn would
come and give her a chance to speak for herself, she would write home
immediately and ask to go back to her dear "daddy," to thoughtful,
brave little Joe, and to dear, darling, baby Roger.

Yes, and Aunt Libby would love her so--it would be so good to have all
love again! And they were all at North Birchland, with Aunt Winnie.
Every letter brought good news of the happy home established there
since Dorothy left for Glenwood.

"I will ask to go home next week," sobbed Dorothy, "whether Mrs.
Pangborn comes back or not. I simply cannot stand this--I feel
like--Oh, I feel like I did when I stepped out of that awful police
patrol."

CHAPTER XVIII

DOROTHY'S SACRIFICE

The day had been unusually tiresome, all