The teacher’s face was calm and cold as she turned to Betty. Peggy had flown from the room in relief and Betty heard her unlocking her locker outside in the hall. She wondered if Peggy would wait.
“Please wait here a few minutes, Betty Lee,” said Miss Masterman. Betty, wondering, waited. She didn’t like the way the teacher looked at her. What could she have done to offend her. It couldn’t be anything like what Peggy was kept for. Why, she’d been “busy,” too, and had scarcely noticed anything except the questions and her paper. Besides, this teacher hadn’t walked around like Miss Heath, to go to the rear sometimes and know just what everybody was doing. She hadn’t seemed to be a bit suspicious that day. Miss Masterman now left the room.
In the next room her voice was to be heard. Why, she was telephoning–the office, Betty supposed. Mercee! what in the world was the matter? Betty’s hands were cold. She grew more scared every minute. Perhaps something was wrong at home and Miss Masterman had gotten word. No, she had looked at her as if she had done something. Perhaps she’d have to go to detention, if not tonight, then tomorrow!
Betty unpiled her books and piled them up again. She would leave all but her algebra in her locker tonight. There! Miss Masterman was coming back. She walked to her desk, took up a book, looked at it, put it down, gathered up some papers and put them inside the desk, went after her wraps and laid them across one of the desks. She was almost as uneasy as Betty felt. Probably she wanted to get home, though it was still the last period.
At last she said, “I suppose you are anxious to know why I am keeping you. You are to go to the office of the assistant principal and he is busy with some other pupils still. He or someone will telephone me when he is ready for you. He seems to have a good deal of business tonight.” Miss Masterman smiled disagreeably. “It is in connection with cheating at examination that he wants to see you,” and Miss Masterman looked keenly at Betty as she made this statement quickly in a sharp tone.
Betty gasped. “Why, Miss Masterman! I don’t know anything about any cheating in the examination!”
“So?” coolly replied Miss Masterman. “Tell that to the assistant principal, then.”
“Do–do you mean that you think I cheated?” vigorously asked Betty.
“I think that very thing.”
“Then you are mistaken, Miss Masterman,” said Betty, firmly and with some dignity. “I hope to be able to prove it.”