"Was everybody saying ugly things about me to-day, and talking as if I was as wicked as a murderer?" asked Gracie, more interested in the opinion others might hold of her than in Hattie's promised news.
There had really been very little said on the matter; the offence was too serious and too shocking to Gracie's young companions to make it an agreeable subject of conversation; and, although there had been some wondering as to whether Gracie would ever be allowed to return to the school, but few unkind remarks had been made, and these were more in sorrow than in censure.
And Hattie was too full of her errand and of the fear of being found on forbidden ground to make as good a story of that little as she might have chosen to do at another time.
"Well, no, not much," she answered. "I suppose that old Nellie, hateful thing, was glad enough."
"Did she say so?" questioned Gracie.
"No," said Hattie; "she did not speak about it. Gracie, did Miss Ashton send word to your mother and ask her to punish you?"
"She wrote to her about it, and I suppose mamma punished me of her own accord," answered Gracie.
"How long is she going to keep you up here?" asked Hattie.
"Till—till—I beg Miss Ashton's pardon," said Gracie, her angry pride rising again at the thought; "and I never will do it, no, never, not if I stay here a year!"
"But the fair," said Hattie; "you know the fair is in two weeks, and if you don't come out before that you'll miss all the fun."