to say a word about anything but the party. Well, I shall have to come out strongly about the skating being spoiled. For my part, I'll harp on that. There's surely no chance for any more this year. Here it is the first of March with eight inches of snow on the ground, and more coming."

Nevertheless, as it happened, there was no gossip at all about the party at recess, and no mention of the lost skating. Excitement was tense as never before, but there was but one topic and that unrelated to parties or sports. Directly after the opening exercises, Mr. Phillips made the announcement that Mabel Graham's note-book was missing. She declared that she had put it carefully into her desk the last thing before she left school yesterday afternoon. Some one must have taken it out between that time and half past eight this morning, when she had looked for it in vain.

"I

CHAPTER XXXI

F that naughty Rusty Miller has hidden Mabel's note-book," said Mr. Phillips to himself that morning, "she shall have zero in all her studies for every day until she brings it back. She's too old for such mischief. She ought to be well shaken and stood in the corner for a baby trick like that— if she did it!"

Thus thought the master of the academy to himself, while he, and every one else except Mabel Graham, believed its loss to be the result of a joke-a crude, foolish joke, indeed, and deserving of scorn and punishment. But directly it became clear that it was not a joke at all, but a serious fact, and the principal exonerated Rusty completely in his thoughts. She might be guilty of a reprehensible joke, but Rusty Miller wouldn't do deliberate wrong; and of wrong of this sort she was quite incapable.

As the day wore on, the matter appeared not only more serious but more mysterious. Mr. Phillips couldn't eat his dinner, but spent the noonhour tramping in the fallen and falling snow. The afternoon brought no light. Just before school closed, he addressed the students on the subject

of the loss, concluding with an earnest appeal. The lower classes were dismissed after raising their hands to indicate they knew nothing about it. The graduating class was detained. Mr. Phillips took the members into a small classroom, one by one, questioning them carefully, and then sending them home.

He began with Mabel Graham. Very, slow to anger, the girl was roused now to violent wrath. Really almost distracted by her loss, Mabel demeaned herself disgracefully. She accused Rusty Miller of getting access to the schoolroom by means of her father's keys, stealing the book, and burning it in the furnace.

Mr. Phillips kept his patience with difficulty. He realized, however, that Mabel's provocation was indeed great, and knew that no girl in school came from a home where there were fewer ideals. Moreover, she was excited and hysterical, and such a condition in a stolid nature like hers was quite another thing than in one of a warmer temperament.

"Now, Mabel," he said seriously, "we must keep to facts. I am more than sorry for you in the loss of your book, and am just as anxious as you can be to recover it, or if that be impossible, to investigate the circumstances. But random accusations not only do not help-they distinctly put us back. Any fact, any slightest detail of fact you may have, let

me hear. Now as regards Rusty Miller, have you anything whatever to base your accusation upon?” "She's afraid I'm going to get the scholarship," sobbed Mabel.

"That's irrelevant, Mabel. So, I daresay, is every one else in the class."

"Well, she was here in the schoolhouse alone with me last night when every one else was gone, and I told her distinctly I wasn't going to take my note-book home-on account of the party."

"And who left the room first?"

"Rusty-but of course she could come backshe could get her father's keys any time."

"And just what did you do with the note-book?" "Put it in my desk-right on top. I had it out, because I'm in the habit of always taking it home. So when I put it back, it was top of all the other things. Nobody but Rusty knew I didn't take it, because everybody else had gone skating. She's always been against me. I hope you'll expel her, Mr. Phillips."

"I shall certainly do no such thing unless there's much stronger evidence than there is at present, said Mr. Phillips firmly. "And now, Mabel, I want you to leave this in my hands. Reserve your judgment if you can. If you can't, keep it to yourself. So long as you are in the building or on the schoolgrounds, I forbid you to accuse any one of commit

ting this wrong. And when you are outside my jurisdiction, I ask you as a favor to act in the same fashion."

Each of the other girls and boys denied all knowledge of the affair. Margaret Hatch told Mr. Phillips in confidence how Rusty had said one day on the pond that she would like to hide Mabel's book.

"I'm so afraid Mabel will somehow get hold of that, Mr. Phillips," she explained. "You will know, just as we do, just what that meant for Rusty, and that it would only make it the surer that Rusty didn't have anything to do with it."

"Of course, Margaret, and you did just right to tell me of it," said Mr. Phillips. "Dear me, what a tangle! I wonder whether Mr. Langley would have chosen to have his little Ella May very impulsive or very staid, if she had to be one or the other."

"Very impulsive, I guess," said Margaret, and they both laughed, and Mr. Phillips sighed.

Rusty was next. Mr. Phillips explained that her father being janitor, he was obliged to question her even more closely than the others. Rusty understood perfectly and answered every question quietly and directly. Mr. Phillips sent her away absolutely convinced of her innocence.

And yet some one must have done it, and only Reuben Cartwright remained out of the class. It