"And that Estelle Brown was up here ahead of us, and all alone," said Miss Pennington. "She may have borrowed it and forgotten to return it." "That's what one gets for leaving one's valuable diamond rings around where these extra players are allowed to have free access," sneered Miss Dixon. "You mean that little chip diamond ring of yours with the red garnets around it?" asked Alice. "It isn't a chip diamond at all!" fired back Miss Dixon. "It was a valuable ring." "Comparatively, perhaps, yes," and Alice's voice was coolly sneering, though she rarely allowed herself this privilege. "I'm sorry it is lost----" "Why don't you say taken?" asked Miss Pennington. "Because I don't believe it was," snapped Alice. "Either you forgot where you laid it or it has dropped behind something. As for thinking Estelle Brown even borrowed it, that's all nonsense! I don't believe a word of it." "Nor I!" exclaimed Ruth. "Did you speak to her about it?" asked Alice, and then as the sound of sobbing came from Estelle's room she burst out with: "You horrid things! I believe you did! Shame on you!" and she hurried to the closed door. "It is I--Alice," she whispered. "Let me in. It's all a terrible mistake. Don't let it affect you so, Estelle dear!" Then Alice opened the unlocked door and went in. Ruth paused for a moment to say: "I think you have made a terrible mistake, Miss Dixon," and then she followed her sister to comfort the crying girl. "Humph! Mistake!" sneered Miss Dixon. "That's what we get for mixing in with amateurs," added her chum. "Come on, we'll speak to Mr. Pertell about it." But, for some reason or other, the director was not told directly of the loss of the ring, nor was Estelle openly accused. She felt as badly, though, as if she had been, even when Ruth and Alice tried to comfort her. Estelle had left the table early, but though she had passed Miss Dixon's room, she said she had seen no one about. "Don't mind about the old ring!" said Alice. "It wasn't worth five dollars." "But that I should be accused of taking even five dollars!" "You're not!" said Ruth, quickly. "They don't dare make an open accusation. I wouldn't be surprised if Miss Dixon found she had lost her ring and she's ashamed to acknowledge it." "Oh, but it is dreadful to be suspected!" sighed Estelle. "You're not--no one in his senses would think of even dreaming you took so much as a pin!" cried Alice. "It's positively silly! I wouldn't make such a fuss over such a cheap ring." But Miss Dixon did make a "fuss," inasmuch as she talked often about her loss, though she still made no direct accusation against Estelle. But Miss Dixon and her chum made life miserable for the daring horsewoman. They often spoke in her presence of extra players who did not know their places, and made sneering references to locking up their valuables.