“Oh, don’t—­ don’t!” sobbed Rosalind.  “Oh, poor mother, poor mother!” she burst into softened and sorrowful weeping.  The hardness of her heart had melted for the time under the influence of Priscilla’s tender words.

“I wish I had known you sooner,” whispered Rose when Prissie bent down and kissed her before leaving her for the night.  “Perhaps I might have been a good girl if I had really known you sooner, Priscilla Peel.”

CHAPTER XXXI

 A message

Early the next morning Rosalind Merton left St. Benet’s College never to come back.  She took all her possessions with her, even the pink coral, which, to their credit be it spoken, not a girl in the college would have accepted at her hands.  Annie Day and Lucy Marsh were not the sort of people to keep their secret long, and before the day of her departure had expired nearly everyone at Heath Hall knew of Rosalind’s crime.  Miss Heath was made acquainted with the whole story at an early hour that morning.

“I may have done very wrong to let her go without obtaining your permission, Miss Heath,” said Maggie, when the story was finished.  “If so, please forgive me, and also allow me to say that, were the same thing to occur again, I fear I should act in the same way.  I think my primary object in giving Rosalind money to go home this morning was to save the college from any open slur being cast upon it.”

Miss Heath’s face had grown very pale while Maggie was speaking.  She was quite silent for a moment or two after the story was finished; then, going up to Miss Oliphant, she took her hand and kissed her.

“On the whole, my dear,” she said, “I am obliged to you.  Had this story been told me while Miss Merton, was in the house I should have been obliged to detain her until all the facts of this disgraceful case were laid before the college authorities, and then, of course, there would have been no course open but to publicly expel her.  This, at least, you have spared St. Benet’s, and I am relieved from the terrible responsibility.  I’ll say nothing now about the rule you have broken, for, of course, you had no right to assist Rosalind to go home without permission.  It lies within my discretion to forgive you, Maggie, however, so take my kiss, dear.”

The vice-principal and Miss Oliphant talked for some little time longer over Rosalind’s terrible fall, and, as Miss Heath felt confident that the story would get abroad in the college, she said she would be forced to mention the circumstances to their principal, Miss Vincent, and also to say something in public to the girls of Heath Hall on the subject.

“And now we will turn to something else,” she said.  “I am concerned at those pale cheeks, Maggie.  My dear,” as the young girl colored brightly, “your low spirits weigh on my heart.”

“Oh, don’t mind me,” said Maggie hastily.