“Still,” said Mr. Ashton, “appearances are much against him, particularly after what has gone on before. Certainly Jones would not have approached him again unless he had reason to believe that Jimmy would accept his offer.”
“It does look that way,” agreed Leonard.
But Shirley refused to be comforted.
“It’s all my fault,” she cried, and ran to the house, where she threw herself down upon her bed and gave way to tears.
There Mabel found her half an hour later and tried to soothe her.
“There, there,” she said, stroking her friend’s head. “It will all come out right in the end. If Jimmy is guilty he should be put off the place. If he isn’t, it will be proven.”
“I know he isn’t!” cried Shirley. “I knew it the minute I spoke. Oh, why did I say anything?”
“You did perfectly right,” declared Mabel.
Suddenly Shirley sprang to her feet.
“Has Jimmy gone yet?” she asked, drying her tears as she spoke.