"What is it?"
Never before had Gertie been seen to cry in school and the effect was electrical.
"Go to your seat, Ella," said Miss Merton in a dignified voice; "I'll attend to Gertie."
"No, no, let her stay," sobbed Gertie, hysterically; "only Ella can do me any good."
"Explain yourself," said the governess in bracing tones, for she had a great objection to a scene.
"I can't bear it any longer, Miss Merton," faltered Gertie unhappily. "Ella didn't use the Key at all. It was I who took it, and—and hid it in her desk."
The miserable confession was out at last.
"Why did you wish to injure Ella Russell?" queried Miss Merton in her coldest tone.
Ella almost hung upon Genie's answer.
"I didn't mean to injure her at all," sobbed the girl. "I put the book in the nearest desk I could find, because I wanted to hide it in a hurry."