“To begin at the beginning,”—­she turned toward Polly,—­“I was knocking at Miss Twining’s door yesterday afternoon when she came up the stairs.  So I went in with her and stayed a little while.  She was in fine spirits.  She had been to see an old friend of hers, a member of the Board, and this lady had given her the same amount of money that Miss Sniffen had—­”

“Stolen!” burst out Miss Crilly.

“I’m telling this story!” announced Mrs. Albright placidly.  “But Miss Twining said,” she resumed, “that she had promised not to divulge the name of the lady to any one.  So I don’t know who it is.  On her way home she had bought a book that she had wanted for a long time.  I told her she’d have to look out or she would get caught reading it; but she said they always knocked before coming in, and she should have time to put it on the under shelf of her table—­where the cover partly hides it.  I said, ’Well, you look out now!’ and she laughed and promised she would.

“In the evening, as I was sitting alone, I heard talking, and I went to my door to listen.  I thought I knew the voice, and when I opened the door a crack I was sure whose room it came from.  ’Oh, I’m afraid she’s caught her again!’ I said to myself, and I waited till I heard somebody go softly away and down the stairs.  Then I stole over to Miss Twining.

“It was just as I had feared!  She was reading all so nice, when without a mite of warning in sailed Miss Sniffen!  Of course she asked her where she got the book, and she said it was given to her.  But she wouldn’t tell the woman’s name.  Miss Sniffen couldn’t get it out of her!  She talked and threatened; but Miss Twining wouldn’t give in.  Finally she vowed she’d have it out of her if she had to flog it out!  I could see that Miss Twining was all wrought up and as nervous as could be—­as who wouldn’t have been!”

“Oh!” gasped Polly.  “It’s just awful!  Did she whip her?”

Mrs. Albright shook her head and went on.

“Miss Twining said that Amelia Sniffen used to go round in society with her youngest brother, Walter, and that she was dead in love with him.  Walter fairly hated her, and never paid her the least attention when he could get out of it; but she would put herself in his way, as some girls will, until he was married and even afterwards.  And when Alice Twining came here and found that Miss Sniffen had been appointed superintendent she was almost a mind to back out; but she hadn’t any other place to go, so she stayed, and she said Miss Sniffen had seemed to take delight in being mean to her ever since.  Well, it’s a tight box that Amelia Sniffen has got herself into this time!” Mrs. Albright sighed.

“Please go on!” whispered Polly.