"You have given me a difficult question to answer, Harriet, I should not like to answer it without knowing more about the circumstances relating to it. Tell me who the girl is that is suspected?"
"But you are a guardian," rejoined Harriet. "Were I to tell you it would be your duty to inform the Chief Guardian of what you had heard. Would it not?"
"My dear, I fear it would," was the reply.
"Then I shall not answer your question. I want to talk with you as I would to a friend, not as a guardian in Camp Wau-Wau. Suppose some girl had made this discovery after she had denied knowing anything about the affair, would it then be her duty to inform the Chief Guardian?"
"Perhaps it would."
"She would be a talebearer. I should not like to have any friend of mine carry tales, would you, Miss Elting?"
"No, Harriet, I would not. Much would depend upon circumstances though. I fear such a case as you suggest must be one for the girl to decide for herself."
"Would she be acting dishonorably if she did not tell what she had learned?"
"Most decidedly not."
"And if she were asked about it by a guardian later on and refused to answer, she still would not be acting unfairly to herself or her superior?"