"Beth," Miss Clifford began, "a gentleman whom I know well has written to tell me that he was walking home by the river-path at two o'clock on Monday morning, and saw a girl here at St. Catherine's with only her night-dress on, hanging over the railing looking into the river; and I am sure from the description it was you."
"Yes," said Beth, "I saw him."
Miss Clifford let the letter fall on her lap, and Miss Bey dropped into a chair. Beth looked on with interest, and wondered about that accurate description of herself; she would have given anything to see it.
"What were you doing there?" Miss Clifford asked; and Beth noticed that she was treating the matter just as her mother had treated the menagerie business.
"Just looking at the water," Beth said.
"At two o'clock in the morning! How did you get out?"
"By the conservatory window."
"Had you been out before?"
"Oh yes, often."
"Do any of the other girls go out?"