"If I was in the habit of betting, I would bet you anything that I know all about it," remarked Georgie Graham, who had kept silent while the other girls were making their comments.
"Oh, what is it?" asked Marion; "my principles and my purse too will stand a pound of candy."
"And I another," cried Sarah.
"Not so fast," replied Georgie. "I said if I was in the habit of betting, but I never bet; it is very unladylike."
"Granted!" cried Marion; "but please reserve your lecture for another time, and out with your secret."
"I really don't know as I ought to tell," said Georgie, as she counted the stitches on her canvas in a provokingly cool way. "I knew it by accident, and that is the reason I haven't spoken of it before."
"Oh, if you got possession of it in the same way you have of several other secrets here, I don't blame you for not wanting to tell of it," retorted Sarah.
"I don't know what you mean to insinuate, Sarah; but I heard of this entirely by accident two weeks ago to-morrow," replied Georgie in the same unmoved tone. "I was in the anteroom looking over an exercise which monsieur wanted me to correct, when I heard Mr. Stein and Miss Stiefbach talking together in very low tones in the school-room. Of course it did not occur to me that there could be anything private in what they were saying, or I should have let them know I was there"—("Of course," laconically remarked Marion)—"but when they had got through their conversation Miss Stiefbach said, 'We will say nothing about it to any one, as I wish it should remain a secret for the present;'—so I said nothing."
"Well, don't you intend to say anything?" cried Sarah Brown; "now that we know there is something going on, don't you intend to tell us what it is?"
"I really don't think it would be very honorable in me," rejoined Georgie, thoroughly enjoying her important position.