The watchman—­who had been making his rounds, as was his custom at midnight, hence his timely appearance upon the scene—­soon had the indignant teachers released, and then went on to the next floor, where similar conditions prevailed.

On being given their liberty, Miss Clark and Miss Williams immediately bestirred themselves to ferret out the culprits; but, of course, everybody was innocent and as eager as themselves to ascertain “who could have been guilty of so daring an escapade at that hour of the night.”

Poor Jennie, however, was destined to pay the penalty of her temerity.

A moment or two after Katherine left her, she had also stolen cautiously up the stairs, but on moving farther down the hall had run against one of the ropes.

Like a flash she comprehended something of the nature of the joke, and, hearing steps and smothered laughter above, turned back and slipped into a closet at the end of the hall, where she shrank into a corner and waited with eager ears and bated breath for the denouement.

When it came, however, she heartily wished she was anywhere else in the world; but there was nothing for her to do except to wait quietly in her place of concealment until the breeze blew over, when she hoped she could steal away, unobserved, to her room.  If the watchman had not appeared upon the scene so opportunely, she would have made a break immediately after the crash; but, hearing his steps, she knew that her escape was cut off in that direction.  She could not even mingle with the other girls, when they began to gather in the halls to “help investigate,” and so find protection in numbers; for she belonged in the other wing, and her presence in the west wing would at once warrant the worst possible construction being put upon her appearance there.

So she shrank closer into her corner and stood motionless, hoping no one would think of looking there.

Vain hope, however, for Miss Williams, having closely questioned various ones without gaining any satisfaction, walked straight to the closet and opened the door, when the light from her candle flared directly upon Jennie’s white, frightened face and shrinking figure.

“Ah!  Miss Wild! so you are implicated in this disgraceful escapade!” the teacher sternly exclaimed, as she laid a forcible hand upon her arm and drew her from her hiding place.  “What was your object and who were your accomplices? for, of course, you could not have carried it out alone,” she concluded, sharply.

Miss Clark now joined them, while many of the students gathered around and regarded Jennie with blank and wondering faces.

“I—–­I don’t know-there wasn’t—­er—­anybody,” stammered Jennie, too confused and overcome with fright to speak connectedly.

“Don’t tell me that!  It is impossible that you could conceive such a plot and execute it without help, and I am going to sift it to the bottom,” was Miss Williams’ sharp retort; for she by no means relished being aroused at midnight by such a frightful bedlam, to find herself a prisoner in her room.