Until chapel exercises were over, Grace had refused to allow her mind to dwell on her trouble, but now, as she climbed slowly up the broad stairway to Miss Duncan's class room, the whole unhappy affair rose before her.
Miss Duncan was sitting at her desk as Grace entered.

She looked at her watch, smiled frankly at Grace and said in her usual businesslike way, "I can give you only ten minutes, Miss Harlowe." The teacher's friendly tone made Grace's heart leap.

She recognized the fact that Miss Duncan no longer looked upon her with suspicion.
"Your innocence was clearly proven by Miss Ashe," said Miss Duncan in her blunt fashion, coming at once to the point.

"I recognize your claim to the authorship of the theme.

The other young woman was the real plagiarist.