The tradition of Lundeen was that of the public-school code. Cribbing was permissible: ‘copying’ or peeping at the questions set for an examination, was impossible. They were already prejudiced against her; the accusation was accepted on the instant by her contemporaries. The Prefectorial system was in full force at Lundeen, and in any case, I could not have made the affair my business. But it so happened that I was present when Laura uttered what I believe to have been her one and only specific denial of the charge against her. I came unexpectedly into the room, and saw the semi-circle of self-righteous inexpressive, young faces that confronted Laura, who stood, rather pale and with her head held proudly high, and spoke very softly and clearly. “I didn’t cheat. Those who thought they saw me, made a mistake. You are being very unjust and cruel, all of you.” She was looking the head of her class straight in the eyes as she spoke, and the girl, giving her back look for look, made a sound that unmistakably expressed contemptuous incredulity. “What is all this?” said I sharply. They were taken aback, all of them. There was an instant of confused silence, and it was, after all, only the hotel child who possessed enough of _savoir faire_ to reply to me. “Miss Arbell,” she said courteously, “it was a--a necessary conversation. It is over now.” She crossed the length of the room, very composedly, and went out quietly. Her ostracism, after that, was complete. It lasted for a week, and then, just as one had always surmised would happen, mama, in sables and violets, drove up in a blue Lanchester car, and said that she and Laura (who looked so much stronger and better for the change) would at once go straight to Paris, give themselves enough time to find some clothes, and sail for New York the following week. The hotel child, her face radiant, came to find me and say good-bye to me. She was incapable, for all mama’s imperious haste, of forgetting or omitting the courtesy. “Do you actually leave this evening?” I asked her. Mama had been even more impetuous than I had anticipated. “Yes. I need never see any of _them_ again.” “It has been an experience, at least,” I reminded her. “Yes--but----” she shrugged her shoulders. “Expensively bought?” I suggested. And, since she was leaving, I thought that I might add: “At least, my dear, you have kept your colours flying. These last days have been very trying, I am afraid, but you come out of them better than our friends of the Fourth Form, to my thinking.” “Thank you,” said Laura. She looked at me with her grave, straightforward eyes. “It would have been much easier, though, if only I really _hadn’t_ cheated.” * * * * *