While Eileen was gone, the Principal again turned to Duane. "You are quite sure no one else had use of the key except yourself and Kitty?" "Quite sure, Miss St. Leger." "And--I am sorry to have to put this question to you, Duane, but under the circumstances I must. You yourself never went inside the laboratory during the time the key was in your possession, and you have no knowledge yourself of anyone who did so, except Kitty Despard?" "No." "You give me your word of honour that you have spoken the truth?" Duane flushed, but replied: "Yes, Miss St. Leger." On Kitty's arrival in Eileen's wake, the Principal turned to her. "I have sent for you to ask you a few questions. The matter is rather a serious one, and I want you to answer me very carefully." Kitty looked in unmistakable astonishment at the circle of serious faces around her. "You came to the laboratory during the dinner hour to-day to fetch a pipette for Miss Vacher?" Kitty's look of wonderment became more marked. "Yes, Miss St. Leger." "You went straight in and fetched the pipette?" "Yes." "Did you touch anything else in the room?" "No, I don't think so." "You did not touch the girls' experiments or their balances, for instance?" "Oh no. I was specially careful not to go near them." "You did not see anyone else about?" "No, the corridor was empty. In fact, the building seemed deserted." "No doubt all the girls were in their houses waiting for the dinner bell. Are you quite sure you locked the door when you left the room?" "Positive." Here Miss Vacher interposed. "Yes, we found the door locked right enough when we returned in the afternoon, Miss St. Leger." "One more question, Kitty. You took the key straight back to Duane? No other girl entered the laboratory while you had it?" "No one, Miss St. Leger," replied Kitty, shaking her head. Then Miss St. Leger explained to the puzzled senior what had happened, but Kitty, with absolute candour, declared firmly that she had not interfered with the balances and could offer no explanation of the matter. The other girls said exactly the same, and there the inquiry ended for the time being. The Principal walked restlessly across the room and stared out of the window into the quad below. "One thing is certain," she remarked; "there are no ordinary means of entry into this room except through the door. Well, I shall probably call the whole school together for a public inquiry. Until then, I want you girls to understand that I do not wish the matter to go any farther. That will do, thank you, girls. I am sorry I have had to take up some of your time. Miss Vacher will take you into the Sixth Form room so that you can write out your results before tea-time."