Nyoda listened with an untroubled heart, sure of an innocent and convincing reason why Hinpoha had been in that room. Hinpoha, taken completely by surprise, was speechless. To Nyoda's astonishment and dismay, she turned fiery red. Hinpoha always blushed at the slightest provocation. In the stress of the moment she could not think of a single worth-while excuse for having gone into the electric room. Telling the real reason was of course out of the question because she had promised to shield Emily Meeks. "I left something in there," she stammered, "and went back after it." "You carried nothing in your hands either time when you came out," said Mr. Wardwell. Hinpoha was struck dumb. She was a poor hand at deception and was totally unable to "bluff" anything through. "I didn't say I carried anything out," she said in an agitated voice. "I went in after something and it--wasn't there." "What was it?" asked Mr. Jackson. "I can't tell you," said Hinpoha. "How did you happen to leave anything in the electric room?" persisted Mr. Jackson. "What were you doing in there in the first place?" "I went in to see if I had left something there," said poor Hinpoha, floundering desperately in the attempt to tell a plausible tale and yet not lie deliberately. Then, realizing that she was contradicting herself and getting more involved all the time, she gave it up in despair and sat silent and miserable. Nyoda's expression of amazement and concern was an added torture. "You admit, then, that you were in the electric room twice on Thursday afternoon, doing something which you cannot explain?" said Mr. Jackson, slowly. Hinpoha nodded, mutely. She never for an instant wavered in her loyalty to Emily. "There is another thing," continued Mr. Jackson, "that seems to point to the fact that you were in league with those who wished to spoil the play. It was your dog that was let out on the stage in pursuit of the cat." "I know it was," said Hinpoha, feeling that she was being drawn helplessly into a net from which there was no escape. "But that wasn't my fault. I haven't the slightest idea how he got there. It was pure chance that he was coaxed into the building." "That may all be," said Mr. Jackson, with frowning wrinkles around the corners of his eyes, "but it looks suspicious." "You certainly don't think I cut those wires, do you?" said Hinpoha incredulously. Mr. Jackson looked wise. "You were not at the play yourself, were you?" he asked. "No," answered Hinpoha. "Why weren't you?" pursued Mr. Jackson. "Have you anything against the Thessalonian Society?" "No, not at all," said Hinpoha with a catch in her voice. "I am not going to anything this winter." She looked down at her black dress expressively, not trusting her voice to speak.