age was found.

The following morning, after opening exercises, Miss Thompson stated
briefly the destruction of her paper.

"I was out of my office barely ten minutes," she said, "yet when I
returned some one had ruthlessly torn the essay to bits and left the
pieces piled in the middle of my desk. As I had spent considerable time
and research in getting the subject matter together, the destruction of
the paper is particularly annoying. Whoever was contemptible enough to
engage in such mischief must have known this. It looks like a deliberate
attempt to insult me. It is hard to believe one of my girls guilty, yet
it is not probable that any one outside could be responsible. A girl who
would wilfully do such a thing is a menace to the school and should be
removed from it. I am not going to any extreme measures to find the
miscreant. Were I to question each girl in turn I fear the offender
might perjure herself rather than admit her guilt. But I am confident
that sooner or later I shall know the truth of the matter."

As Miss Thompson concluded, she looked over the roomful of girls who sat
watching her with serious faces. Which one of them was guilty? Time
alone would tell.

At recess that morning the subject of the play was for once forgotten in
the excitement occasioned by the principal's recent disclosure. Groups
of girls indignantly denied even the thought of such mischief.

"I don't believe Miss Thompson would ever suspect us of any such thing,"
remarked Jessica to her friends.

"Of course not, goose," replied Grace. "She knows us too well for that."

But it was with a peculiar apprehension of something unpleasant that
Grace answered a summons to the principal's office just before school
closed for the day.

"Grace," she said, as the young girl entered the office, "were you in my
office yesterday afternoon between half past one and a quarter of two?"

"Why, yes, Miss Thompson. I came to ask permission to use the gymnasium,
but you were out, so I came back and asked you just before school
closed."

"Yes, I remember that you did," replied the principal. "However, I want
you to read this."

Grace took the paper, looking rather perplexed, and read:

"Ask Miss Harlowe what she was doing in your
office between half past one and a quarter of two
yesterday."

"A PASSERBY."

"Why--why----" stammered Grace, her eyes growing large with w