The poor child was thoroughly unnerved by her interview with the detective, and the Princ.i.p.al"s reproach seemed to put the finishing touch to the whole affair. In Winifrede"s study afterwards she sobbed till her eyes were red slits.
"Never mind," comforted Winifrede. "After all, things might have been worse. Be thankful you didn"t lend her your brother"s uniform. It"s as clear as daylight she didn"t want it for charades. It would be easy for a German prisoner to escape disguised as a British officer. It might have got your brother into most serious trouble."
"It was Dona who wouldn"t let me take it," choked Marjorie. "She said at the time that she didn"t trust Chrissie. I"ve been a blind idiot all along!"
"We were none of us clever enough to find her out."
It was just about a week after this that a letter arrived at Brackenfield, addressed to Marjorie in Chrissie"s handwriting. It bore a Dutch stamp and postmark, and had been opened by the censor. Mrs.
Morrison perused it first in private, then, calling Marjorie to the study, handed it to her to read. It bore no address or date, and ran thus:--
"MY DEAR MARJORIE,
"This letter is to say a last good-bye to you, for you will never hear from me or of me again. By now you will have found out all. Believe me that what I did was not by my own wish. I hated and loathed it all the time, but I was forced by others to do it. I cannot tell you how wretched I was, and how I envied you, who had no dreadful secret to keep. We are going back to our own people" (here a portion of the letter was blackened by the censor). "It was all for his sake" (again a portion was erased). "I want to tell you, Marjorie, how I have loved you.
You have been the one bright spot in my life, and I can never forget your kindness. I have your portrait inside my locket, and I shall wear it always, and have it buried with me in my coffin.
Try to think of me as if I were already dead, and forgive me if you can.
"From your still loving friend, "CHRISSIE."
Marjorie put down the letter with a shaking hand.
"Is it right to forgive the enemies of our country?" she asked Mrs.
Morrison.
"When they are dead," replied the Princ.i.p.al.
Marjorie went out slowly from the study, and stood thinking for a moment. Then, going upstairs to her cubicle, she looked in her treasure box, and found the little gold locket containing the portrait of her one-time friend. It had been a birthday present from Chrissie. She refrained from opening it, but, taking it down to the dingle, she flung it into the deepest pool in the brook. She walked back up the field with a feeling as though she had attended a funeral.
Dona met her in the quadrangle.
"I"ve just seen Miss Norton," she confided. "The specialist came to look at Eric yesterday, and he gives quite good hopes for him. He"s to go into a children"s hospital under a very clever doctor, and be properly looked after and dieted. His own mother lets him eat anything. Norty"s simply beaming. She"s to take him herself next week in a motor ambulance."
Marjorie heaved a great sigh of relief. The world seemed suddenly to have brightened. Bygones must remain bygones. She had been imprudent, indeed, in supplying information, but it had been done in all innocence, and though she might blame her own folly, she could not condemn her act as unpatriotic.
"There"s good news from the front, too," continued Dona. "Another ridge taken, and a village. Winifrede showed me the newspaper. Lieutenant Preston"s name is mentioned for conspicuous bravery. It"s really quite an important victory on our part. We"ve driven the Huns back a good piece. I feel I just want to shout "Hurrah!" and I"m going to!--
"Hurrah!"
"Hurrah! G.o.d save the King!" echoed Marjorie.
By Angela Brazil
My Own Schooldays.
Ruth of St. Ronan"s.
Joan"s Best Chum.
Captain Peggie.
Schoolgirl Kitty.
The School in the South.
Monitress Merle.
Loyal to the School.
A Fortunate Term.
A Popular Schoolgirl.
The Princess of the School.
A Harum-Scarum Schoolgirl.
The Head Girl at the Gables.
A Patriotic Schoolgirl.
For the School Colours.
The Madcap of the School.
The Luckiest Girl in the School.
The Jolliest Term on Record.
The Girls of St. Cyprian"s.
The Youngest Girl in the Fifth.
The New Girl at St. Chad"s.
For the Sake of the School.
The School by the Sea.
The Leader of the Lower School.
A Pair of Schoolgirls.
A Fourth Form Friendship.
The Manor House School.
The Nicest Girl in the School.
The Third Form at Miss Kaye"s.
The Fortunes of Philippa.