Now Anne----" "_Anne ?_" interrupted Grace horrified.

"You don't suppose, for a minute, Anne would be dishonest?
Never! I won't stay and listen any longer," and she rushed to the door.
Miss Thompson followed, placing a detaining hand on her arm.
"You are right, Grace, to be loyal to your friend," said the principal, always just and kind under the most trying circumstances; "but Anne, I must tell you, is under suspicion." "Why ?" demanded Grace, almost sobbing in her anger and unhappiness.
"The afternoon of the discovery Anne was here long after school hours.
She was seen by two people wandering about the building." "Who were the people ?" demanded Grace incredulously.
"The janitress, who saw her from the window of another room, and--Miss Leece." "I thought so," exclaimed Grace, with a note of triumph in her voice.
"It is Miss Leece, is it, who is trumping up all this business?
I tell you, I don't believe a word of it, Miss Thompson.

Anne would no more do such a thing than I would, and I am going to fight to save her if it takes my last breath.

Do you know how hard she has worked to win this prize?
Simply all the time.

I believe, if she knew what you suspected, it would kill her.