een jealous of her new-found appreciation in the Form, and
had taken this opportunity of trying to humble her. The deficit in the
gate fund filled Gwen with surprise. There seemed only one way of
accounting for it, and that was so painful that she shrank from facing
it. Lesbia had taken change out of the satchel, and that same evening
Lesbia had acknowledged the possession of ten shillings, but had
refused to reveal how she came by the money.

Gwen groaned as she remembered her sister's conscious looks and
evasive replies. Could it actually be possible that Lesbia had
abstracted this money? She was rather silly, flighty, and
irresponsible, but she had always been truthful and honourable. No, it
was surely absolutely foreign to her character! Then where had she
obtained half a guinea to buy a new tennis racket? And what was the
reason of her extreme embarrassment? Gwen abandoned the question in
despair.

"If she really did take it, I must shield her at any cost," she
decided. "She'd get into such frightful trouble, and scolding Lesbia
is like breaking a butterfly. I can bear things better than she can.
But--oh, dear! What am I to say to Dad if he asks me? I can stand
Miss Roscoe's wrath, but I can't face making Dad look sorry."

The Principal left Gwen until one o'clock to reflect upon her sins,
then summoned her again to the study, and urged her in strong terms to
confess.

"I will forgive you if you only acknowledge it, but if you persist in
denying it, I shall have to go more deeply into the matter," she said
sternly. "I cannot allow such things to happen at Rodenhurst. It is a
very grave fault, Gwen. Do you wish me to send for your father?"

"No, no!" cried Gwen hastily.

"Then will you confess?"

"I can't! I didn't do it! Oh, I don't understand!" responded Gwen,
torn in two between the desire to defend herself and the fear of
involving Lesbia. She did not dare to tell Miss Roscoe that her sister
had taken change from the satchel, yet by that circumstance only could
she account for the loss.

"Miss Douglas is as distressed as I am," continued the Principal. "I
was obliged to tell her, in order to explain your absence from your
classes. Here she comes now. Perhaps she will be able to persuade you
better than I."

"Oh, Miss Roscoe," exclaimed Miss Douglas, entering the study with a
hurried step and a heightened colour, "I have just made the most
astounding discovery! I happened to look in my purse, and to m