"Not this time," Blue Bonnet said, her head up, her eyes shining. "My conscience is clear anyway."
Miss North, as usual, was busy. She motioned Blue Bonnet to a chair and went on with her work. When she had finished, she unlocked a drawer in her desk and taking out a book, handed it to Blue Bonnet.
"Is this your property, Miss Ashe?" she inquired.
Blue Bonnet took the book, opened it, looked it over from cover to cover and handed it back.
"No," she said, "it isn't mine. It's French. I couldn't translate it."
"You are quite sure that it is not your book, or one that you borrowed?"
Blue Bonnet glanced at the book again.
"Perfectly sure, Miss North. I never saw it before."
"That is very strange, Miss Ashe. The book was found in your drawer while you were at home for the week-end. Miss Martin found it covered with some underwear."
The puzzled expression on Blue Bonnet's face would have cleared her in any court of justice; but Miss North had dealt with consummate actresses in her time. She was on her guard.