“Yes, Sir.”
“Perhaps you could suggest a suitable penalty?”
“You might put me in solitary confinement in that room with Maude.”
Doctor Rhodes laughed and Mabel wondered why.
“You’d better look up the meaning of the word ‘Solitary,’” said he. “I fear there are other reasons why your plan wouldn’t work. You and Maude are a pretty lively team. I think,”—with a shrewd glance at Mabel’s plump figure—“that this is a better punishment for you. No dessert for dinner for a whole week.”
“Yes, Sir,” said Mabel, looking as if a week seemed a pretty long time.
“And you must apologize to Miss Woodruff.”
“I don’t mind that,” said Mabel. “I’m always having to apologize to somebody, so I’ve had lots of practice.”
“That’s an honest youngster,” said Doctor Rhodes to himself when the door had closed behind Mabel. “I’m sure she didn’t take either that cardcase or that money. And I don’t believe that naughty Wilder girl did either. Mabel is just a cheerful blunderer and Maude is just frankly willful. They’re both honest. But I’d give something to know who it is that isn’t—with all this smoke there must be some fire.”
After Maude had spent two long days in the North Corridor bedroom, Miss Woodruff thinking it was time for repentance to set in, tapped at the door. Maude, supposing it was Annie or Mary with her supper tray, hopped into the large black walnut wardrobe that stood against the wall and drew the door shut, meaning to spring forth at the right moment and say “Boo!”—but not until the tray was safe on the table.