While she was absent Lady Frances felt a cold dew breaking out on her forehead.

"This is beyond everything," she thought. "But it is impossible; the child could never have done it. What motive would she have? She is not as bad as that; and it was her very first day at school."

Miss Henderson re-entered the room, accompanied by Miss Thompson. In Miss Thompson's hand was a copy of the History of England that Evelyn had been using.

"Will you kindly open that book," said Miss Henderson, "and show Lady Frances what you have found there?"

Miss Thompson did so. She opened the History at the reign of Edward I.

Between the leaves were to be seen two fragments of torn paper. Miss Thompson removed them carefully and laid them upon Lady Frances's hand.

Lady Frances glanced at them, and saw that they were beyond doubt torn from a copy of Ruskin's _Sesame and Lilies_. She let them drop back again on to the open page of the book.

"I accuse no one," said Miss Henderson. "Even now I accuse no one; but I grieve to tell you, Lady Frances, that this book was in the hands of your niece, Evelyn Wynford, on that afternoon.-Miss Thompson, will you relate the entire circ.u.mstances to Lady Frances?"

"I am very, very sorry," said Miss Thompson. "I wish with all my heart I had understood the child better, but of course she was a stranger to me.

The circ.u.mstance was this: I gave her the history of the reign of Edward I. to look over during cla.s.s, as of course on her first day at school she had no regular lessons ready. She glanced at it, told me she knew the reign, and amused herself looking about during the remainder of the time. At recess I called her to me and questioned her. She seemed to be totally ignorant of anything relating to Edward I. I reproved her for having made an incorrect statement--"

"For having told a lie, you mean," snapped Lady Frances.

Miss Thompson bowed.

"I reproved her, and as a punishment desired her to look over the reign while the other girls were in the playground."

"And quite right," said Lady Frances.

"She was very much annoyed, but I was firm. I left her with the book in her hand. I have nothing more to say. At six o'clock that evening I removed _Sesame and Lilies_ from its place in the cla.s.sroom, and took it away to continue the preparation of a lecture. I then found that several pages had been removed. This morning, early, I happened to take this very copy of the History, and found these fragments in the part of the book which contains the reign of Edward I."

"Suspicion undoubtedly now points to Evelyn," said Miss Henderson; "and I must say, Lady Frances, that although a matter of this kind pertains entirely to the school, and must be dealt with absolutely by the head-mistress, yet your having called, and in a measure taken the matter up, relieves me of a certain responsibility."

"Suspicion does undoubtedly point to the unhappy child," said Lady Frances; "but still, I can scarcely believe it. What do you mean to do?"

"I shall to-morrow morning have to state before the entire school what I have now stated to you."

"It might be best for me to remove Evelyn, and let her confess to you in writing."

"I do not think that would be either right or fair. If the girl is taken away now she is practically injured for life. Give her a chance, I beseech you, Lady Frances, of retrieving her character."

"Oh, what is to be done?" said Lady Frances. "To think that my daughter should have a girl like that for a companion! You do not know how we are all to be pitied."

"I do indeed; you have my sincere sympathy," said Miss Henderson.

"And what do you advise?"

"I think, as she is a member of the school, you must leave her to me.

She committed this offense on the very first day of her school-life, and if possible we must not be too severe on her. She has not been brought up as an English girl."

Lady Frances talked a little longer with the head-mistress, and went away; she felt terribly miserable and unhappy.

CHAPTER XXII.-"STICK TO YOUR COLORS, EVELYN."

Evelyn met Jasper, as arranged, on Tuesday evening. She found it quite easy to slip away unnoticed, for in truth Lady Frances was too unhappy to watch her movements particularly. The girls had been dining alone.

Audrey had a headache, and had gone to bed early. Evelyn rushed up to her room, put on a dark shawl, which completely covered her fair hair and white-robed little figure, and rushed out by a side entrance. She wore thin shoes, however, being utterly reckless with regard to her health. Jasper was waiting for her. It took but an instant for Jasper to clasp her in her arms, lifting her off the ground as she did so.

"Oh, my little darling," cried the affectionate woman-"my sweet little white Eve! Oh, let me hug you; let me kiss you! Oh, my pet! it is like cold water to a thirsty person to clasp you in my arms again."

"Do not squeeze me quite so tight, Jasper," said Evelyn. "Yes, of course, I am glad to see you-very glad."

"But let me feel your feet, pet. Oh, to think of your running out like this in your house-shoes! You will catch your death! Here, I will sit down on this step and keep you in my arms. Now, is not that cozy, my fur cloak wrapped round you, feet and all? Is not that nice, little Eve?"

"Yes, very nice," said Evelyn. "It is almost as good as if I were back again on the ranch with mothery and you."

"Ah, the happy old days!" sighed Jasper.

"Yes, they were very happy, Jasper. I almost wish I was back again. I am worried a good bit; things are not what I thought they would be in England. There is no fuss made about me, and at school they treat me so horribly."

"You bide your time, my love; you bide your time."

"I don't like school, Jas."

"And why not, my beauty? You know you must be taught, my dear Miss Evelyn; an ignorant young lady has no chance at all in these enlightened days."

"Oh! please, Jas, do not talk so much like a horrid book; be your true old self. What does learning matter?"

"Everything, love; I a.s.sure you it does."

"Well, I shall never be learned; it is too much trouble."

"But why don't you like school, pet?"

"I will tell you. I have got into a sc.r.a.pe; I did not mean to, but I have."

"Oh, you mean about that book. Sylvia told me. Why did you tell Sylvia, Evelyn?"

"I had to tell some one, and she is not a schoolgirl."

"She is not your sort, Evelyn."

"Is she not? I like her very much."

"But she is not your sort; for instance, she could not do a thing of that kind."

"Oh, I do not suppose many people would have spirit enough," said Evelyn in the voice of one who had done a very fine act.

"She could not do it," repeated Jasper; "and I expect she is in the right, and that you, my little love, are in the wrong. You were differently trained. Well, my dear Eve, the long and short of it is that I admire what you did, only somehow Sylvia does not, and you will have to be very careful or she may--"