She offered the spray to Sarah, but the girl made no sign of accepting it. Dorothy was disappointed. She did not mind the sick girl being fretful, but she had not expected her to be rude. A rather awkward silence followed. Dorothy had determined if possible, to reach the heart of this queer girl, but her best efforts seemed unsuccessful. "Well, I had better go," said Dorothy at length, still holding the blossoms in her hand, and standing beside Sarah's chair. She turned to leave. "Good-bye," she said. "I hope you will be better soon." But Sarah caught her dress. "Oh, Dorothy, do not leave me," she wailed. "I am so miserable, so unhappy! Throw the apple blossoms out of the window and come back to me. I need someone! Oh, I feel as if I shall die, all alone here!" Sobs choked her words, and she seemed struggling for breath. "Shall I call your mother?" Dorothy asked anxiously. "No! no!" cried the sick girl. "I only want you. Dorothy Dale help me--you must help me or I shall die," and again Sarah broke into hysterical sobbing. "What is it, Sarah dear?" pleaded Dorothy. "Tell me how I can help you," and she bent down closer to the weeping girl. "Oh, I do not know. I have--Oh, Dorothy have you ever tried to injure another?" "Why, no, dear, and I am sure you have not, either." "Oh, but I have indeed! I can not bear the pain any longer. I must tell someone--you. You will know how to help me." A very sad face looked up into Dorothy's. The brown eyes that had always been thought so proud and haughty were now "begging" for help, for pity, and for counsel. "Tell me about it," said Dorothy, taking a trembling white hand in her own, which was scarcely more steady. "Did--they--arrest Tavia?" asked Sarah, the words seeming to choke her in their utterance. "Why, no. Of course they did not," Dorothy replied. "I just left Tavia a half hour ago, and she was as light hearted and happy as ever I have seen her. That little trouble at school did not last long." "Oh, I am so glad!" exclaimed Sarah. "The thought of it has just--haunted me!" "About the accident?" asked Dorothy, trying to help Sarah unburden her mind. "Yes. I really did not mean to do so wrong. But when I found you were all gone, and I tried to jump--" "Yes, of course it was very wrong of Tavia to send you up so high just as the bell was going to ring," and Dorothy pressed the other's hand encouragingly. "Then when I saw my white dress, all black from the ashes, I ran away!" "Now do not excite yourself, dear," cautioned Dorothy, for she saw how Sarah's face had flushed, and did not like to hear her raise her voice so. "No, it will not hurt me. The pain of it has been killing me ever since, but now it will go--with my confession!" "Hush!" whispered Dorothy, "your mother is in the hall." "Poor mother!" answered Sarah. "She has tried every way to help me, but I could not tell her. It seemed so terrible!" "But how did you hurt your ankle?" asked Dorothy bluntly.