"Comparatively, perhaps, yes," and Alice's voice was coolly sneering, though she rarely allowed herself this privilege. "I'm sorry it is lost——"
"Why don't you say taken?" asked Miss Pennington.
"Because I don't believe it was," snapped Alice. "Either you forgot where you laid it or it has dropped behind something. As for thinking Estelle Brown even borrowed it, that's all nonsense! I don't believe a word of it."
"Nor I!" exclaimed Ruth.
"Did you speak to her about it?" asked Alice, and then as the sound of sobbing came from Estelle's room she burst out with:
"You horrid things! I believe you did! Shame on you!" and she hurried to the closed door.
"It is I—Alice," she whispered. "Let me in. It's all a terrible mistake. Don't let it affect you so, Estelle dear!"
Then Alice opened the unlocked door and went in. Ruth paused for a moment to say:
"I think you have made a terrible mistake, Miss Dixon," and then she followed her sister to comfort the crying girl.
"Humph! Mistake!" sneered Miss Dixon.