Lottie hitched her shoulder with an impatient movement which drew her arm free from her companion.
“Well, I’m fond of Pixie O’Shaughnessy, and I am going to stick to her, whatever happens! It’s mean of Mademoiselle to make such a fuss about an accident which nobody could help. I’ll buy her another scent-bottle myself, if that will satisfy her. I have lots of money, and can get as much more as I want. It’s absurd making thirty people miserable for the sake of a few pounds. I’ll ask Miss Phipps if I may go into town and buy one this very day.”
“She wouldn’t let you spend so much without your mother’s consent, and it’s my belief Mademoiselle wouldn’t take it if she did. It was the association she liked, and you could not give her that. I’m fond of Pixie too, but I shan’t like her a bit if she gets us all into trouble, and that’s what it will mean if she is obstinate. We shall have all our treats and holidays knocked off until the truth comes out. It is bound to be discovered sooner or later, don’t you think?”
“No, I don’t! Lots of things are never discovered, and the holidays will be here in a month, thank goodness! It will have to drop after that, for it wouldn’t be fair to drag the troubles of one term into the next. I don’t know what Margaret is going to do, but I shall be kind to Pixie and try to help her!”
The girls had reached the schoolroom by this time and joined the group by the fire, so that Margaret herself was able to reply.
“I shall certainly help her if I can,” she said gently; but her followers noticed that she avoided giving any opinion as to guilt or innocence, and the reticence depressed them still further, for it was unlike Margaret to refrain from speaking a good word if it was possible to do so.
She was soon to have an opportunity of trying to help, however, for half an hour later Miss Phipps called her out of class, and said sadly—
“I can make nothing of Pixie, Margaret. Will you try what you can do? She seems afraid of me, though I have tried to be as forbearing as possible, and perhaps she may speak more freely to a girl like herself. So long as she refuses to say what she was doing in Mademoiselle’s room we cannot help believing her to be guilty. I am dreadfully upset about it all, and should be so thankful to get at the truth. I have heard of this kind of thing going on in other schools, but this is my first experience, and I earnestly hope it will be the last. She is in my snuggery. Go to her there, and see what your influence will do!”
Margaret went, and, at the first opening of the door, Pixie rushed into her arms with a cry of joyous welcome.
“Oh, Margaret, I hoped you would come! I wanted you to come. I’m so dreadfully miserable.”