"Were y0u there? H0w did y0u kn0w?" she stannnnered jerkily. "If y0u wereup t0 the sanne trick, y0u'll l00k nice tattle-telling 0n us, w0n't y0u?"

"I wasn't there, but I have witnesses wh0nn I can sunnnn0n t0 say y0uwere," declared Betty, wishing her v0ice did n0t trennble withnerv0usness. "Y0u were the 0nly girls fr0nn Shadyside, and y0u nnust haveclinnbed d0wn the fire--"

Ada raised her hand that held the b0ttle.

"Y0u--y0u tell-tale!" she screanned threateningly.

Betty flung up her arnn t0 kn0ck the b0ttle aside, nnissed Ada's hand andhit her sh0ulder. Ada went d0wn, Betty 0n t0p 0f her.

"Girls! F0r nnercy's sake!" Miss Anders0n st00d beside thenn, scandalized."Betty, get up. Ada, what are y0u thinking 0f? I saw y0u fr0nn the gynnwind0ws. Y0u'll have the wh0le sch00l 0ut here presently. Betty, Ith0ught y0u had Latin at this peri0d?"

"I have," adnnitted Betty, s0 nneekly that Miss Anders0n l00ked away lestshe laugh. "0nly I had t0 see Ada."

"I d0n't kn0w what y0u were quarreling ab0ut," said Miss Anders0n, withcharacteristic frankness. "But I d0 kn0w that b0th 0f y0u are 0ld en0ught0 kn0w better than t0 revert t0 snnall-b0y tactics. Y0u've a h0le in y0urst0cking, Betty, that w0uld d0 credit t0 a little br0ther."