.
"It is bad enough as it is. If I could find out who the guilty one is----"

"What would you do if you did find out?" demanded Jane.

"I don't know. Nothing I suppose," returned Harriet with a wan smile.

"That's just it. You've got to fight if you don't want to get walked on in
this world. My dad says so. He's a fighter, he is, little one, and he has
a daughter who can take her own part and half a dozen other people's
besides. My sleeves will be rolled up all the time after this. You watch
me get into action when I discover the girl, and----"

"I think you had better leave all that to me, Miss McCarthy," advised a
voice at the door of the tent.

At the first sound of the voice Harriet thought either Patricia or Cora
had come in. Then she saw that it was Mrs. Livingston.

"Please don't involve yourself in difficulties, my dear. Now, will you
leave us, please! I wish to speak alone with Miss Burrell."

Jane went outside the tent where she paced up and down waiting until the
Chief Guardian should come out, when Jane intended to return to the tent
and talk further with her friend. She intercepted the other Meadow-Brook
Girls who had come over to sympathize with Harriet. All save Tommy
returned to their own tents.

"Now, my dear," said Mrs. Livingston, seating herself beside Harriet on
the edge of the latter's cot, "please do not take this quite so hard. You
will have plenty of opportunity to win other 'honors' before leaving Camp
Wau-Wau."

"It is not the loss of the 'honor' that is disturbing me, Mrs. Livingston.
It is the thought that you suspected me of being the author of that
trick," answered Harriet quite frankly. "You will understand that I am not
saying this in an impertinent sense."

"My dear girl, I know of course that you are not. Let me tell you
something. It may serve to make you feel this less keenly. I sought for
the moment to be a little harsh with you thinking that possibly the girl
who had done this might rise and confess at once rather than see you bear
the burden of the accusation?"

"There is little danger of her doing that."

"So I infer. But you have a suspicion as to who she may be?" added the
Chief Guardian quickly.

"I may have, but I should not wish to name any one. You see my suspicion
may be entirely wrong. In fact I am convinced that it is."

"My child, if you have a well-founded suspicion of any girl here you
should make it known to me. It is your duty to do that."

"That i