Her wickedness was going to find her out, after all. What should she do? Put a good face on the matter, whispered the little girl's evil monitor. So, assuming a calm she did not feel, she answered

'Here.'

'Be so good as to repeat a statement you made to me last night.'

Nellie did so in a few words, saying how she had sat next to Gwen when Fräulein Strumpf gave them their German translation; how she had fancied to see her cousin peep constantly under the table; and how, at last, when the lesson was over, she had observed Gwen stealthily pop the book into her desk.

'Is this true?' asked Mrs. Straytelace, turning to the astonished Gwen.

'I am sorry began Gwen.

'Not an unnecessary word,' interrupted Mrs. Straytelace sternly. 'I want a simple answer. Is this true, what you have heard your cousin say? Yes or no?' 'No,' said Gwen decidedly.

A little sound like a cheer was heard among the girls.

'Silence, young ladies,' said Mrs. Straytelace. 'I should sympathize with you in your pleasure at hearing a schoolfellow vindicate herself so firmly and seemingly honestly from an abominable charge, were I not un

fortunately in the position to tell you that the charge is true and the vindication false. I myself found the crib in Gwen Owen's desk.'

'Impossible,' a few of the elder girls ventured to ejaculate.

'I should have said so, too, not twenty-four hours ago,' said Mrs. Straytelace, her stern tone relaxing somewhat into grieved pity. I regret that I cannot say so still, and that I have been forced to assemble you all here this morning, that you may see the culprit unmasked and her guilt proved. See,' she said, walking to Gwen's place and opening the desk, 'here is the book.'

Another murmur ran among the girls; it was still somewhat dissentient. They could not, would not, believe this of their favourite. Some few glanced suspiciously towards Nellie, who felt herself cowering under their eyes. They soon looked away again; they could not entertain the thought that she would tell such a falsehood, and so vilely slander her cousin.

There was a long pause after this in the room,—an awful silence, Nellie felt it. No one spoke, no one uttered a sound, each person's eyes first sought and then glanced away from the others'. Could it be that a tear was actually creeping down Mrs. Strayte lace's cheek-Mrs. Straytelace, who was always seen

so calm and composed, and had never been known to weep?

Gwen sat rigidly still, as when she had first been accused; she neither seemed to see nor hear, but her face was ashy pale, and her hands were tightly clenched. Nellie could not look towards her, it would have made her feel yet more wicked.

At last Mrs. Straytelace spoke; it was a relief to them all to have that terrible pause at an end.

'Young ladies,' she said, 'since first I have kept an establishment for the purpose of education, I have never but twice had so painful a duty to perform as to-day; never, in fact, for in each of the former cases the offence was not so totally out of keeping with the character of the girl as it is here. In both those former instances I judged it right that the pupil who had so grievously offended should forthwith leave the school. I know I ought to do the same in this instance, but I am too weak, I have held too high an opinion of the present culprit; in fact, young ladies, I shall put it to the vote. You shall decide whether Gwen Owen shall be expelled from this place, or severely punished and another chance allowed her. I call on you all to rise who are in favour of the milder alternative.'

1

Not one girl remained sitting. Nellie rose too, though she was sorely perplexed as to what she ought to do.

A gleam of satisfaction flew over Mrs. Straytelace's rigid features.

'I am very glad,' she stammered. 'I am much obliged to you, young ladies. You can leave the room now; all except Gwen Owen, whom I desire to remain.'

What passed between the governess and the pupil, Nellie never knew; but when Gwen came out from Mrs. Straytelace's presence, her pale face looked yet paler, and the hard expression had deepened. She had the air of some one trying to bear a heavy burden, which was more than she could endure. It quite cut Nellie to the heart to see that expression, so she thought it best to turn away and not say a word to her cousin; for how could she confess her fault now? It was clearly impossible; the punishment would be too terrible. What would her papa say if she were expelled? No, she had taken the one false step leading to many others, and she must abide by her action.

That same evening a neighbour of Mrs. Straytelace had invited a small juvenile party. Contrary to her usual custom, Mrs. Straytelace had accorded the girls permission to go; being so near the holidays, she said that she could afford to let them have a little holiday enjoyment. She had, however, stipulated that they must be home by half-past nine, as the next day being the first of the examination, she could not allow them

to be tired and weary. none of the girls expected that she might; in fact, she had been kept in a room by herself all day, and no one had seen her.

Gwen was, of course, not to go;

Nellie went up early in the evening to dress for the party. She tried to think she was very pleased to go and very happy; but she could not succeed in feeling so, continually though she congratulated herself upon the success of her wicked scheme. She dressed as on the day of the croquet party; but to-day there was no kind Gwen to do her hair, and no crowd of admiring schoolfellows standing round her. In fact, Nellie had been somewhat shunned; for though all the girls were righteously indignant at Gwen's offence, not a few of them thought that Nellie should not have been the one to tell ugly tales about her cousin.

In this dejected mood the little girl went to her jewelbox, and took thence the brown leathern case containing her mother's locket with the wonderful emerald stone. What was her horror and dismay when, on opening ït, she found that the stone, her precious gem, to which she attached such a superstitious value, had become perfectly colourless! Nellie turned pale with fright. She trembled so that she could hardly stand, and had to cling to the table for support. Vividly, as though the words had only just been spoken, she heard her