“Yes; it was pretty severe. But she was very defiant, and said dreadful things, denounced her class and college. Few girls would have had the courage to return to college next year, but she came back, hoping to live her dishonor down, and when she found her class to a member ignored her very existence, she became almost insane with bitterness and rage, and having studied her character closely, I judge that for a while, until your secret society took her in hand, she was hardly responsible for her actions.
“Now, Miss Walker is very sorry for Frances Andrews; but she considers her a dangerous element in college, and at mid-years she would like some definite reason for asking her not to come back. I am speaking plainly, because Miss Walker is convinced that you know a definite reason and through some mistaken idea of kindness, you keep it to yourself. In fact, Miss Brown, Miss Walker is convinced that you and you alone saw Frances Andrews cut the wires in the gymnasium that night.”
“But I didn’t,” cried Molly, much excited; “or, rather, it wasn’t Miss Andrews.”
Miss Steel looked at her in surprise, so sure was she that Molly would confirm her suspicions.
Molly sat down again and clasped her knees with her long arms. Her cheeks were crimson and her eyes blazing.
“Who was it, then?” asked the inspector.
“I can’t tell you that, Miss Steel. If I should give you the girl’s name I should be dishonored all my life. I have been brought up to believe that the one who tells is as low as the one who did the deed. When we were children, my mother would never listen to a telltale. I do think it was a wicked, mischievous thing to have done—a contemptible thing; but I’d rather you found out the name of the girl in some other way than through me, especially right now——”
“Why right now?”
But Molly would not reply.
Miss Steel could see nothing but truth in the depths of Molly’s troubled blue eyes. She took the girl’s hand in her’s and looked at her gravely.