For a certain suspicion had been dawning in Betty’s imaginative mind ever since yesterday. It had seemed too unlikely an idea, so she had told herself at first, to be true, and she had decided not to take any one into her confidence, not even Gerry, in case her ideas should be laughed at as absurd. But now--well, she could not keep the idea to herself any more. After supper on Sunday evenings the girls were always free to walk about the grounds in couples until bedtime. To-night Gerry was to be Betty’s partner. After hearing what Eve had just said, the Mascot could hardly wait until the after-supper-time came. “Gerry----!” “Whatever is it?” inquired Gerry solicitously. That Betty’s state of mind was one of extreme anxiety about something or other had been evident all through supper-time. She had eaten nothing and had narrowly escaped an early dismissal to bed on account of her lack of appetite. “Though perhaps the hour outside will do you as much good as an extra hour in bed in this hot weather,” as Nurse had conceded at last. “No doubt you’re excited about your investiture to-morrow.” “_Is_ it the investiture?” inquired Gerry now. “It is, and it isn’t. At least it isn’t that really, except in so far as that everything’s so tremendously connected.” Betty gave a sigh. “Gerry, I’ve something to tell you. I almost told you when you asked me last night; only I couldn’t. I was afraid you might--well--that you might laugh at me, you know. And that would ‘take the bloom off’ so, like Sybil said.” Betty stopped. “I don’t know one bit what you mean; but I shan’t laugh,” said Gerry quickly. For even if Betty’s story were to be a queer one, yet it couldn’t be exactly a laughable one, Gerry was sure from the look in her friend’s eyes. She listened without a word until the telling was through. But by the time the story was done Gerry’s expression of face had changed from one of amazement to one of extreme incredulity. At its last word she stood still and said nothing at all. “You don’t believe it?” burst out Betty. “I don’t see how I could. Betty, how could _any_ one? It seems so impossible.” Gerry’s eyes were thoughtful. “Just because you found that bit of patrol ribbon in the hedge which might possibly have come off the Cup!” “It did. It did. I recognized the bow,” put in Betty. “Well, even if it did, it needn’t mean that the witch had taken the Cup! Particularly when, after all, there isn’t one--a witch, I mean! How _could_ there be? Guides don’t believe in such things!” “I didn’t say exactly a witch!” put in Betty vehemently. “I said the magic that was there might have had something to do with the losing of the Cup! You never saw the cottage, and I _did_!” “I know,” agreed Gerry. “And I must say I can’t think why you didn’t mention it before, if you thought----”