"Want a ticket, Miss?" asked a porter, as she passed the booking-office near the entrance.
"No, thank you; I'm only going to get a paper," replied Meg, walking briskly on.
She noticed that the man looked at her keenly, and said something to another official. Immediately afterwards an inspector came on to the platform, and eyed her with more than ordinary curiosity. She could hear the telephone bell ringing hard, but it never struck her that these occurrences had anything to do with herself. She walked to the bookstall, and after spending some minutes looking at the various magazines spread forth, bought a copy of Tit Bits, and strolled back down the platform reading it as she went, and smiling over the jokes. At the automatic sweet-machine she paused, put a penny in the slot, and had just withdrawn her box of chocolates when, turning round, she found herself face to face with a policeman.
"Very sorry, Miss," said the man civilly, "but I'm afraid you've got to go along with me."
Meg was so surprised that she nearly dropped both Tit Bits and the chocolates.
"To go along with you!" she gasped. "Indeed I shan't do anything of the sort."
"Better not make a scene, Miss," advised the policeman, with an indulgent smile. "I'm sorry, but it's my duty to take you in charge."
"But what for? I've done nothing!" protested Meg in huge indignation.
"That's a little matter between your schoolmistress and yourself. It's none of my business. My instructions are to take you straight to the police station."
"But I tell you I won't be taken!"