she murmured. "It left this behind." And drawing forward her
hand, she held out to view a small gold-coloured slipper. "I
found it outside my window," she explained. "I hoped I should not
have to show it."

A gasp of uncontrollable feeling from the surrounding group of
girls, then absolute stillness.

"I fail to recognize it," observed Mr. Driscoll, taking it in
his hand. "Whose slipper is this?" he asked in a manner not to
be gainsaid.

Still no reply, then as he continued to eye the girls one after
another a voice--the last he expected to hear--spoke and his
daughter cried:

"It is mine. But it was not I who walked in it down the
balcony."

"Alicia!"

A month's apprehension was in that cry. The silence, the pent-up
emotion brooding in the air was intolerable. A fresh young laugh
broke it.

"Oh," exclaimed a roguish voice, "I knew that you were all in it!
But the especial one who wore the slipper and grabbed the pendant
cannot hope to hide herself. Her finger-tips will give her away."

Amazement on every face and a convulsive movement in one half-