"What is this trouble between you and Miss Leece, Miss Pierson ?" she continued, plunging into the subject.
"I do not know myself, Miss Thompson," answered Anne quietly.
"But she accuses you of rather terrible things, Miss Pierson," went on the principal, picking up a slip of paper and reading aloud, "'inattention, insubordination, impertinence and a tendency to make trouble.' Have you any answer to make to these charges ?" "No," replied Anne.
"Have you nothing to say ?" "Only that they are untrue." "Miss Pierson," continued the principal, opening a closet door, "do you recognize this figure." [Illustration: "Miss Pierson, Do You Recognize This Figure ?"] There, hanging by its neck on a coat hook and still wearing its fantastic bonnet and green veil, was the famous effigy.
Anne looked at the absurd thing for a moment in silence.

Then her eyes met Miss Thompson's, and both teacher and pupil burst out laughing.
The young girl never knew how far that laugh went to soften her present predicament.

As a matter of fact, Miss Thompson had never liked the teacher in mathematics, while the small, shabby pupil appealed strongly to her sympathy.
"Were you not the originator of this outrageous plot, Miss Pierson ?" Anne was silent.

She could hardly say she was the originator and still she had participated.
"I will put the question in another form," said the principal.

"If you were not the originator, who was ?" Still Anne made no reply.
"Miss Leece," continued the principal, "alleges that she distinctly saw you standing by the figure.