had given her leave to go to the caves, and she had wondered why at
the time; but now she realised in a flash--it was to take part of the
blame, and that couldn't be allowed, of course.
As she opened her door she saw there was still a light in the
passage, so it could not be very late--besides, the servants were
talking downstairs. Beyond the head of the stairs there was a door
ajar that might be Violet's.
Closing her own door to avoid suspicion, she pattered quietly along
and peered into the half-open room. Yes--there was Violet, propped
up against some pillows. Sally could see how white her face was, but
what struck her next, with a quick stab of horror, so that she forgot
everything else, was the bandaged hand, suddenly raised to her head.
"Oh, Violet!" she said. "Violet! I can't bear it. Are you badly
hurt?"
"No, Sally, I'm not--but do go back to bed at once."
Violet's tone was urgent, and the younger girl, turning abruptly at
its note of warning, saw on the hearth-rug--not Matron, as she had
expected--but Miss Cockran.
"You!" ... she said. "It's you, Miss Cockran."
"Yes, I have returned," said Miss Cockran quietly. "But why have you
come in here, when you were told to go to sleep?"
She closed the door as she spoke, and going over, took Sally's hands
between her own. Her voice was grave--but not so stern as the
culprit expected--and Sally suddenly, for no reason at all that she
could afterwards remember, burst into tears.
"Tolly's safe," she sobbed, "and I'm so sorry, and it's all my fault.
Violet never gave me leave--she just came to help me."
Miss Cockran had drawn her by this time down on the bed, with
Violet's eiderdown over her legs, and her own arm round her.
"Perhaps you had better tell me everything," she said, with a look at
the girl's flushed face. "Only then, you must go to sleep."
The story was told piecemeal, chiefly by Violet, and when it was
finished, and Miss Cockran remained silent, the elder girl broke in:
"Please don't expel Sally. It wasn't naughtiness."
"It was disobedience--an offence against discipline," said the
Headmistress quietly.
"It was saving life."
Miss Cockran nodded. "I know that--but it's not a first offence.
You begged me not to expel Sally, as well as Trina Morrison, at the
end of last term, Violet ... and I listened."
"Did you, Violet? I didn't know.... I have been a pig to you----"
Sally could not resist the interruption. Now she knew why Violet had
been to Miss Cockran--not to sneak--but to save her.
"Violet is a treasure," she said. "She's wonderful, isn't she?"
The elder girl grew red, and muttered "Oh, rot!" while Miss Cockran
smiled.
"She has been a good friend to you, Sally; but she can't save you
from your own wilfulness. You are not a good influence to have in a
school."
Sally hung her head, while Violet said, "She will be, if she stops;
and you don't mean to expel her, do you, Miss Cockran?"
The Headmistress rose, and bending suddenly, kissed the younger girl.
"No!" she said. "Subject to real amendment, not pie-crust promises,
I don't mean to expel either of you. After all, I'm very fond of
Tolly, and he is my dog--and I'm proud of the courage you both have
shown. Now Sally, back to bed with you--and sleep."
They were neither of them expelled. Autolycus was, but as his leg
recovered completely, and he went to live at Violet's home, where
rabbiting was easy, and not dangerous, he did not seem to mind.
Perhaps he missed the society of Sally and Miss Cockran; but the loss
was fully compensated by not having Jakes to bath him every week.