Miss Gray wiped her eyes and Billie’s face worked convulsively for a moment and she choked back a lump which would rise in her throat on occasions.
Mary came over and took Belle’s hands.
“Of course I forgive you, Belle,” she said, kissing the repentant girl on the lips.
“But I must ask your forgiveness, too, Mary,” cried Miss Gray. “I feel I am not fit to be the principal of the High School to have so misjudged you. It was only the strange way you acted about the fifty dollars which made me credit for a moment the stories that were told.”
When peace was entirely restored, Miss Gray took her departure. She did not return to the High School, but hurried to the livery stable, where she ordered a carriage and had herself driven straight to Mrs. St. Clair’s.
As Belle will not again appear in this story, you will perhaps be interested to know how sincere her reformation really was. Her mother and father scarcely recognized the pale, quiet girl who returned to them in another day. Her entire nature had been shaken by the experience, and for some time she was dazed and silent. But no one ever saw her angry again, and as if she wished to give some visible sign of her repentance, the red rubber curlers were thrown away and from that time she has worn her hair straight.
There was no evidence against Mme. Alta or Fannie, except what Belle Rogers could furnish, and they were finally allowed to go free. But they were not permitted to remain in quiet West Haven, where suspicious characters were not welcomed.
The police cared little for the music teacher and her daughter. The prize they looked for was Ruiz, the famous filibuster and desperado who had smuggled hundreds of rifles into Venezuela and had robbed and pillaged and even killed, but had never been caught.
Detective Bangs, standing on the shore, the day of the shipwreck, scanned eagerly the face of each sailor as he was drawn ashore. But Ruiz was not among them. It was supposed that he preferred death to arrest; for he remained on the sinking ship. But the sturdy little vessel clung desperately to the Serpent’s Fang until after sunset, and there are some who believe that Ruiz swam ashore with his one arm, which was as strong as iron, and is still at large somewhere working mischief and misfortune.
On the day after the departure of Mme. Alta and Fannie, Miss Gray called a meeting of the Faculty and pupils of West Haven High School. Mary Price was there and so was Billie, and in the gallery sat Mrs. Price between Mrs. St. Clair and Miss Campbell.