ed his lips; but, before the words came, Blue Bonnet had leaned
forward to the very edge of her chair and addressed Miss North.

"I see your point--perfectly--now," she said. "I didn't this morning.
I'm terribly sorry that I've caused you all this annoyance. I reckon it
was because--" she stopped, unwilling to allow herself the slightest
loophole of escape through an explanation. "There is no excuse for me at
all. I apologize, Miss North, and I'm willing to take my
punishment--anything you think right--only I hope--it won't be
expulsion. Grandmother could never stand that. It would most kill her!"

There was a grave, old-fashioned dignity about the way Blue Bonnet
acknowledged her error. It appealed to Miss North. She was so frank, so
evidently sincere, that almost without an instant's hesitation Miss
North replied:

"I accept your apology, Miss Ashe. We try never to expel for
mistakes--unless they are serious enough to be contaminating in
influence. As to a punishment--we will discuss that later. You may come
here--to my office, for a few minutes after study hour this evening."

Blue Bonnet shook hands with Mr. Winthrop, thanked him for coming, and
went back up-stairs as slowly as she had come down ten minutes before.

In order to lose no time, or miss hearing all the details of the
interview with Miss North, Annabel and Sue were waiting in Blue Bonnet's
room.

As Blue Bonnet opened the door they made a rush for her.

"For goodness' sake, tell us what this is all about!" Sue said, dragging
her over to the couch. "We're just dying to know!"

Blue Bonnet sat down with a sigh.

"There isn't much to tell," she said wearily. "I've been perfectly
horrid about Carita being ill, that's all--she's sick, you know. They
wouldn't let me see her this morning--that is, they kept me out of the
Infirmary, so I sent for Cousin Tracy."

"You sent for your cousin!" Annabel exclaimed.

"Yes."

"How did you send for him?"

"Telephoned."

Sue went off in a gale of laughter.

"I adore your nerve," she said. "Oh, isn't this lovely!"

"Didn't you know that would get you in trouble?" Annabel asked.

"I didn't seem to care--this morning. I wish I had."

"Was Miss North--awful?"

"No, she was lovely."

"Didn't she take away your privileges?"

"I don't know yet--she's to tell me later."

"Well, she will, so cheer up," Sue comforted. "The worst is yet to
come!"

"Oh, Sue, stop! She doesn't know anything about it, Blue