heir knees and thank the fates
who had sent her to them just when they needed her most.

They all started to talk at once, but Miss Walters, having recovered a
little from her first surprise and seeing that a curious crowd was
beginning to gather, spoke to them authoritatively.

"Come inside," she said. "I can't imagine what has brought you here like
this, but we certainly can't talk about it in the street."

She led the way through the doorway and into the hotel lobby, which was
fortunately deserted. Then she sank down upon a couch and the girls
gathered eagerly around her.

"Now suppose one of you tell me the meaning of all this," said Miss
Walters, her blue eyes a little hard and accusing. She had no idea what
had happened, but she knew that if the girls were responsible for this
unheard of proceeding it would go hard with them. Miss Walters was fair
and just, and because she was just she could be sternness itself where
any disobedience on the part of the girls was concerned.

As for the girls themselves, all their old fears of expulsion came back
at this attitude of their president, and they looked rather helplessly
at each other.

Then Connie Danvers nudged Billie and whispered something in her ear.
And Billie bravely did as she was asked, although, as she afterward
said, her knees were trembling under her.

"Miss Walters," she began hesitatingly, as Miss Walters turned a steady
gaze upon her, "I can explain why we are here and everything that has
happened since you left--if you will let me," she finished rather
timidly.

"That is just what I want you to do," said Miss Walters gravely.

As Billie told her story Miss Walters' expression changed, became less
stern, and she leaned forward in amazement.

"You say that some of the girls were faint and sick from lack of food?"
she asked once incredulously. "Why, it's--it's incredible. But go on,"
she interrupted herself impatiently. "What happened then?"

When Billie told of the raid, her imprisonment in the little room, her
escape, and finally the decision of the girls to leave Three Towers and
come to the hotel until Miss Walters' return, the latter jumped to her
feet, her face flushing angrily.

"I'm glad I came just when I did," she said. "I was tempted to stay
longer, but something told me that I might be needed, and that something
was right. Come, girls, we'll hire all the taxis in town if we have to,
and private automobiles, too, and get back to Thre