“It had been discovered,” wrote Miss Richards, evidently in a great state of wrath and indignation, “that one of the boarders had been in the habit of writing to and receiving surreptitious letters from a person with whom she had been forbidden to correspond.  This she could only have accomplished with the aid of some one outside the school.  On that very evening a letter had been intercepted, and the messenger almost caught; but though she had escaped she had been partially recognized by the governess, who had fortunately discovered these shocking and flagrantly daring misdoings, and the governess had no doubt in her mind that the culprit was Dr. Trenire’s elder daughter.”  Miss Richards was deeply grieved to have to write such unpleasant tidings to him, but she begged he would make strict inquiries into the matter at once.  In the meantime Miss Lettice Kitson, who was forbidden to leave her room, refused to make any communication on the matter.

“How dare she!” cried Kitty.  “How dare she accuse me of doing such a thing!  I hardly ever speak to Lettice.  We are not at all friendly, and Miss Richards knows it.  I have never liked her, and—­and,” she broke off hotly—­“as if, even if I did like her, I would behave so.  Father, you know I wouldn’t; don’t you?” she entreated passionately.

“Have you any idea who the real culprit is?” asked her father, greatly troubled.  In his heart he implicitly believed her, but he had to inquire into the matter without prejudice.  “If you have a suspicion, do give me the clue, that you may be cleared.  Of course it wouldn’t be Betty—­”

“Oh no, of course not,” cried Kitty emphatically.  “She has been in the playroom with me all the evening; besides, Betty wouldn’t behave so.  Why, only the other day she was fearfully disgusted with—­”

Kitty stopped abruptly, a flood of colour pouring over her face as a sudden suspicion rushed over her mind with overwhelming force.

Dr. Trenire was watching her closely.  “You have some suspicion?”

Kitty opened her lips, then closed them.  “I—­I have nothing I can say, father,” she said at last in a muffled tone.

“But you must clear yourself, Kitty,” he said gravely.

“Lettice Kitson can clear me,” she replied.  “She knows, and of course she will tell Miss Richards when she hears that they are accusing me.  You believe me; don’t you, father?” she asked again, looking up at him pleadingly.

“Certainly, Kitty,” he said heartily, unable to withstand the appeal in her gray eyes.  “I would not believe you capable of such dishonourable conduct unless you yourself told me you were guilty.”

In the joy and relief of her heart Kitty forgot all about any suspicions others might entertain, until Dr. Trenire mentioned Mrs. Pike.  At the mention of that name her heart sank down and down.  “O father,” she cried, “Aunt Pike need not know anything about it, need she?”