"Nonsense," said Molly, and she swept out of the room and crawled into her bed, very weary and cold and frightened, wondering what the morrow would bring forth in the way of punishment for her--or was it to be for Judy? In the meantime, foolish Judy carefully coiled up the rope ladder and hid it in the bottom of her trunk. CHAPTER XVI. ON THE GRILL. Not a word did Molly say to Nance or the unsuspecting Judy next morning about her appointment with President Walker. "Don't forget Latin versification at ten," Nance had cautioned her as she left the sitting room a quarter before ten. Molly had forgotten it and everything else except the matter in hand, but the President's word was law and she prepared to obey and skip the lecture. The President was waiting for her in the little study. No one was about and an ominous quiet pervaded the whole place. "Sit down," said Miss Walker, without replying to Molly's greeting of good morning. "So it's you, is it, who has been wandering about the grounds at night in a gray dressing gown, scaring the students? I need not tell you how disgusted and grieved I am, Miss Brown." Molly turned as white as a sheet. She had never dreamed that Miss Walker suspected her of being the campus ghost. But she answered steadily: "You are mistaken, Miss Walker. The ghost chased Nance and me the other night when we were coming back from the village. We were really frightened. I suppose it's some insane person." "Then what were you doing on the campus at that hour, and where did you get that ladder?" Molly turned her wide blue eyes on the President with reproachful protest, and Miss Walker suddenly looked down at the blotter on the desk. "Answer my question, Miss Brown," she asked more gently. How could Molly explain without telling on Judy, and yet did not that reckless, silly Judy deserve to be told on? Suddenly two tears trickled down her cheeks. She let them roll unheeded and clasped her hands convulsively in her lap. "I insist on an answer to my question, Miss Brown," repeated the President, without looking up. Molly pressed her lips together to keep back the sobs. "I never saw the ladder until a few minutes before you did," she answered hoarsely. "I--oh, Miss Walker, you make it very hard," she burst out suddenly, leaning on the table and burying her face in her hands. And then the most surprising thing happened. The President rose quickly from her chair, hurried over to where Molly was sitting with bowed head and drew the girl to her as tenderly as Molly's own mother might have done. "There, there, my darling child," she said soothingly. "I haven't the heart to torture you any longer. I know, of course, that it was your friend, Miss Kean, who was at the bottom of last night's performance, and as usual you came down to help her when she fell. I only wanted you to tell me exactly what you knew."