CHAPTER IV

THE RICHOTER SCIENCE PRIZE

Everybody at Easthampton, new girls and old, knew all about the Richoter Science Prize. That and the Essay Medal were the "scholastic plums" of the year, as Hilary said. This year Salome, the head prefect of Sheerston's, was undoubtedly the favourite for the science prize. But a good deal of excitement was aroused when Duane, after returning from a rather mysterious interview with the Principal, announced somewhat lugubriously that Miss St. Leger strongly advised her to enter for the Richoter, and that Miss Vacher spoke highly of her natural ability at the subject and considered that she had a very good chance, if she did her best, of winning the prize.

The other Carslake heroes naturally thought this a brilliant notion on the part of the Principal. Their house would now have a candidate to represent it, and if, by any chance, Duane managed to win the prize, what a triumph for Carslake's! They solemnly assured their doleful-looking head prefect that they would help her as much as they possibly could.

The Upper Fifth, as a whole, freely gave their opinions on this new entry for the Richoter. Duane, they said, though a slacker, was undoubtedly clever at some things, and would be a worthy opponent for Salome and Eileen Gilbert and the other five or six candidates. Whereupon Kitty, her enthusiasm for her house catching fire from that of the girls of Sheerston's, Prince's and Green's, called out in her clear, decided way, a remark which she would afterwards have given worlds to have left unsaid, though it meant little or nothing at the time.

"Duane will be something more than a worthy opponent to your girls. She's going to win that prize, and we're going to use every means in our power to bring it off. You mark my words."

"I say, Kitty," remonstrated Hilary, a little later, "you needn't be so deadly certain that Duane will win the Richoter."

Kitty laughed. "When I hear the other houses boasting that one of their own girls is practically sure of the prize, I simply have to up and boast a bit for our poor old house. No one else will."

"Oh yes, that's all right. Only if Duane doesn't get it, you'll be twitted no end," warned Hilary.

"Pooh! I can stand that. Besides, Duane isn't going to lose. Why, this is Carslake's Great Opportunity!" Several other girls, passing by, caught the last two sentences and smiled, half amusedly, half curiously, at Kitty's emphatic words and tone.

There were only three weeks before the exam, but as all students know, quite a lot of swotting can be done in three weeks if it doesn't matter about neglecting other things. The Carslake seniors were as good as their word. "Even better," as Duane remarked dryly, to which Margaret said reproachfully, "Why, I do believe we're more enthusiastic over it than you are!"

"Especially Kitty," returned Duane, with a half-mocking, half-quizzical glance at Kitty that made her flush hotly.

The other prefects, Hilary and France, willingly took upon themselves disciplinary duties which usually fell to the head prefect's lot, in order to give her more time for study. Kitty industriously copied out lists of game practices, weekly reports, notices of sports or debate meetings, and similar things which were part of the head girl's routine, while much of Duane's ordinary preparation was excused. All this help was accepted by the head prefect readily enough, until it came to assistance in early morning rising. Hilary and Kitty held themselves responsible for seeing that she was out of bed ten minutes before rising bell, dressed by the time the bell rang, and ready for three-quarters of an hour's hard study before breakfast. To this Duane most strongly objected, using the passive form of resistance, and it says much for the patience and firmness of Hilary and Kitty that, right up to the exam itself, Duane was downstairs every morning soon after the rising bell.

It must be admitted, however, that to achieve this record, Hilary had to resort to a novel stratagem suggested by Kitty's fertile brain. This was the innocent plan of tying one end of a piece of cord round Duane's ankle after she was in bed, and letting the other end hang by Hilary's bedside. Thus a good strong pull from Hilary woke Duane effectually from slumber. This worked very well the first couple of mornings, but on the third Duane declined to get out of bed merely because her leg was jerked. Whereupon Kitty and Hilary attached another cord, to the victim's arm this time, with the satisfactory result that next morning an extremely vigorous pull on both cords jerked her right out of bed and landed her amid a heap of tumbled bedclothes upon the floor, where she was not allowed to remain for long.

Carslake affairs, however, though much improved, were not yet progressing with the smoothness of well-oiled machinery. The fiery Peggy and her devoted satellites were frequently coming into collision with the prefects, and after one such incident, Peggy, brooding over the lines she had been set that morning, was not mistress of her temper at cricket practice in the afternoon and disputed Duane's verdict of l.b.w. against her. The head prefect's temper was also strained by the unusual amount of work she was doing just before the Richoter, and her customary imperturbable indifference was ruffled and disturbed.

"I'm acting as umpire," she said sharply. "You had better get off the field if you don't agree with my decision."

Peggy looked at her, flushing with resentment. "What do you mean, Duane?"

"Mean? What I say. Either accept my verdict or else clear off the field."

Peggy's hot flush faded.

"If I go now I'll never, never play in a match again if you're captaining the team," she said, in a voice that trembled with anger and humiliation. Duane shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

"Please yourself. Your services aren't indispensable," she returned, coldly.

Peggy dropped her bat and walked off defiantly. Little Erica Salter, with a glance of mingled fury and reproach at Duane for treating her idol thus, rushed off the field after her retreating figure. The juniors looked at each other uncomfortably, several being obviously inclined to follow her example. Then Kitty sang out cheerily, "Come along! Who's going in next? It's my turn to bowl, and I hate wasting time, you know." The girls turned to her with relief, and for the rest of the time it was Kitty's personality which dominated the game, while Duane stood silently watching.

A little later, coming down the passage in her unhurried way, Duane nearly ran into Erica. The child's face was flushed and her eyes bright. She looked very pretty and childish as she planted herself in front of the head prefect. The latter had perforce to stop too.

"Why, Erica," she said, "do you want anything?"

"No," replied the child, fixing her bright eyes on the tall figure of the head prefect and clenching her little hands. "Only--only to tell you that I think you're simply hateful."

"And why, pray, this flattering opinion of me?" inquired Duane lazily, with a smile.

"Oh, you can laugh," said Erica, stamping her foot angrily. "But I think you were simply horrid to Peggy this afternoon and I hate you for it. I hope you'll have something nasty happen to you some day, and then p'r'aps you'll be sorry you've been so nasty to other people."

"Peggy will get over it all right in a day or two. She'll be quite a nice girl in a couple of years, when she's rubbed off the edges. Don't worry your head over her--or me either. Go along and play with your dolls."

"Dolls!" said Erica, scornfully. "I don't play with dolls now. I'm much too big."

Duane looked down at her with a sudden twinkle in her eyes. "You're not very big though. But I do believe you're the prettiest little kid in the school."

She stooped suddenly, caught the child impulsively in her arms and kissed her. Erica indignantly struggled free and ran off down the passage as hard as she could. Ten minutes later, Duane, with wrinkled brows, was plunged deep in a last skim through a chapter on chlorine, Peggy and such minor disturbances completely forgotten.

The examination opened with two written papers on the first day. The second day was devoted to the more important half of the exam, the practical work. The laboratory was given over entirely to the use of the candidates; balances had been carefully cleaned and adjusted, as all knew that accurate results depended very largely upon accurate weighing and measuring; everything else that would be required had been put in order.

Just after half-past twelve the candidates came trooping out in a body, Miss Vacher, looking intensely important, bringing up the rear and locking the door. They were met in the hall by a large crowd of girls who were eager to know what they had been doing, but inquiries for details only resulted in the victims walking off arm-in-arm with their own particular chums.

"Oh, don't ask any more questions," begged Eileen. "Give us a rest till we go back to it this afternoon. Yes, Gwen, we're working three at a bench. I'm at the one just inside the door, in the middle, with Salome on my right and Duane on my left. In good company, you see. No, we're only allowed to speak to Miss Vacher."

Meanwhile Duane, accompanied by the Carslake seniors, went off to her study, where she dropped into the easy-chair with an air of fatigue, while the others disposed themselves on the table and such chairs as the little room possessed.

"We don't begin again till half-past two, one comfort," said Duane dreamily. "Give us plenty of time to digest our dinners. I hope the analysis of my compound works out right."

"Let us know if it does, won't you?" said France eagerly.

"Oh, certainly," replied Duane. "I believe mine will come right," she added reflectively. "I've a sort of feeling it will."

"In your bones, I presume," suggested Kitty maliciously. Kitty was always rubbed up the wrong way by Duane's airy manner of treating even serious things.

"That's just it," assented Duane at once. "Only I hope," anxiously, "it won't turn out to be rheumatism after all."

Kitty laughed. "Scored off me there," she said frankly. "Hallo, who's this?"

"This" proved to be a junior from one of the other houses.

"If you please, Duane," she said, "I've come from Miss Vacher. She wants a pipette out of the laboratory at once. I think she's doing some experimental work in her room and she said, as you had the key, would you mind fetching a pipette for her? She hopes it won't be troubling you, and I'll take it back with me."

"Why on earth has Washer given the key to you, Cato?" asked France, looking surprised.

"To mind it for her," replied Duane, with a laugh. "You know what a bother there was last year when poor old Washer lost the key in the dinner-hour, and how eventually they had to break open the door and get in. Washer was dreadfully upset and didn't want a repetition of it this year, so she handed the key over to me after we got outside, and asked me to keep it till we went in again this afternoon."

There was a general laugh at Duane's explanation. Inside the laboratory Miss Vacher was as keen and as capable as Miss St. Leger herself. Away from science, she was the most hopelessly absent-minded person it was possible to imagine. She kept an army of small girls constantly employed looking around for her possessions.

However, everybody seemed to take the explanation for granted, though Kitty _did_ think that the science mistress's eccentricities were responsible for a state of affairs that was not quite what it should be. Still, it was certainly not her place to say so.

Duane was eyeing the small messenger ruefully. "Oh, bother Miss Vacher! What on earth does she want a pipette for just before dinner! It isn't soup day. I'm so comfortably settled too, and having a few minutes' rest. I say, kid, if I gave you the key, couldn't you slip along and get it?"

The girl looked doubtful. "Better go yourself, Duane," advised Hilary. "You know the lab's out of bounds to-day for us folk. I shouldn't send a junior, in case of an accident."

"No, I suppose not," agreed Duane. "I shouldn't like to get anyone into trouble. Still, it's an awful bore," and she yawned as she spoke.

"I'll go if you like," Kitty volunteered. "I know where the pipettes are kept--over by the window--and it won't take me a minute."

"Thanks ever so much," said Duane. "You're a brick. Here's the key. Of course, there's no need to advise you to give a wide berth to our experiments."

"Of course not," replied Kitty. "I shan't go near the benches. I'll be back in a tick." She disappeared with a nod, and in a few minutes returned and handed over pipette and key to Duane, who slipped the key into her pocket and gave the pipette to the junior. "Here you are. Trot it along--with Duane's love--and don't smash it on the way. Be sure you don't forget the love."

"Vacher was always rather smitten with you," remarked Bertha with a grin. "Now, any of the others would have handed the key over to Salome. She's your senior really."

"Yes, queer taste on Washer's part, isn't it?" returned Duane complacently.

"Very," said France, bursting into a laugh. "However, you make a very well-matched pair."

"Yes, I suppose you're thinking that opposites meet," replied Duane, undisturbed. "There's only one thing in which Washer and I are alike."

"What's that?"

"Our genius for science."

"Well, let's hope your genius will pull off the Richoter for you," put in Kitty. "Then Carslake's can crow for once in its life. There's the dinner bell. You'll see our Richoter candidate doesn't faint this afternoon through lack of nourishment, won't you, France?"

By two o'clock that afternoon the four houses were quiet and deserted, all except the Richoter candidates being in their classrooms. Little did they dream, as the clock hand pointed to the half hour and then crept onwards, of the drama that was being enacted even then in the science laboratory.

The nine candidates had assembled punctually at two-thirty; Duane had handed over the key to Miss Vacher and, Miss St. Leger also with them, they had entered the room and taken up their former places to continue their work.

There was several minutes' silence while the girls began to take their compounds from the midget furnaces, preparatory to weighing. Miss St. Leger and Miss Vacher were talking together in low tones when a sudden exclamation from Salome made them glance up quickly. With an expression of amazement on her face the girl was gazing at one of the pans which she had just removed from her balance; underneath the pan was a small gravel pebble attached to the pan by means of a piece of plasticine. She swung round quickly as the Principal's voice, from just behind her, said sharply: "Has someone been interfering with your balances, Constance?" (Constance was Salome's baptismal name.)

[Illustration: "'Has someone been interfering with your balances, Constance?' asked the Principal."]

"It--it seems so, Miss St. Leger," stammered Salome. "I tested my balances to see if they were correct before weighing, and was astonished to find one side much heavier than the other. Then I took off the pans to try and find the cause and discovered this piece of gravel underneath one of them."

The faces of the Principal and the science mistress were very grave, for it looked as if a deliberate attempt had been made to spoil Salome's results. Aware that the other girls in the room had paused in their work to listen in astonishment, Miss St. Leger said decidedly, "Continue your work, girls. Constance, I will inquire into this as soon as you have all finished your practical work. Go on now with your experiment."

The Principal stayed in the room till the time allotted for the practical work was over, then she called them all together round the bench where Salome, Eileen and Duane had been working and explained to them exactly what had happened. They looked at one another with mingled feelings of discomfort and amazement.

Miss St. Leger first questioned Salome. "When did you use your balances last--I mean before your discovery at the beginning of the afternoon?"

"This morning," replied Salome at once. "Not long before we left. We had to weigh our compounds before putting them into the midget furnaces to heat during the dinner hour."

"You are sure they were correct then?"

"Quite sure, Miss St. Leger. I always lift them before using, to test and correct them, if necessary. I distinctly remember testing them this morning."

"Then that means that someone has tampered with them between then and when we returned," interposed Miss Vacher.

"Exactly. But surely it was not possible for anyone to touch them while you were working in the room. Constance, what do you say? You should be the best judge of that."

Salome raised her eyes frankly to the Principal. "I have been thinking of that, Miss St. Leger. It seems quite impossible to me. I did not leave my place after the weighing till we went out about ten minutes later."

"And the nearest girls to you?"

"Eileen and Duane, and they were right at the farther ends of the benches. I am quite sure no girl in this room touched them then."

"Who was the last one to leave the room?"

"Eileen and I. We came out together with Miss Vacher."

"You are quite sure of that? No one was left behind, even for a half minute or so? It could have been done in a few seconds."

"I was the last out, Miss St. Leger," replied the science mistress, "and I locked the door after me."

"Most extraordinary," said the Principal, "and there is only one key to that lock in the school. We found _that_ out last year. The key never left your possession during the dinner hour, I suppose, Miss Vacher?"

The science mistress was looking far from happy. "The key was not in my possession, Miss St. Leger. After last year--I mean, owing to my unfortunate absent-mindedness--I decided to entrust it to somebody else. Duane took charge of it for me."

"Oh!" Miss St. Leger's expression changed abruptly. No longer did she look puzzled, but keen and alert. "I am rather sorry for that. However, Duane will be able to answer that question for us."

Duane hesitated, looking across at the science mistress.

"Only once, Miss St. Leger. Miss Vacher sent a junior asking me to get a pipette out of the lab for her, as she wanted it for some private work she was doing in her room. I was--was feeling rather lazy, so another girl offered to fetch it for me."

"Who was the girl who fetched the pipette?"

"Kitty Despard."

Miss St. Leger nodded. "Ah yes, I remember. The girl from Australia, who came at the beginning of the term. When was this?"

"Just before dinner."

"How long was she gone?"

"Only a few minutes."

"She gave the key back to you on her return?"

"Yes."

"What did you do with it then?"

"I put it back into my pocket."

"And it stayed there till you handed it to Miss Vacher?"

"Yes, Miss St. Leger."

"No one could have taken it and put it back again unknown to you, I suppose?"

Duane shook her head decidedly.

Miss St. Leger turned to Eileen.

"Will you please see if you can find Kitty Despard for me, Eileen, and ask her to come here. She is probably down on the playing-fields, as afternoon lessons are over. Don't say anything to Kitty or anyone else about what is happening here."

While Eileen was gone, the Principal again turned to Duane.

"You are quite sure no one else had use of the key except yourself and Kitty?"

"Quite sure, Miss St. Leger."

"And--I am sorry to have to put this question to you, Duane, but under the circumstances I must. You yourself never went inside the laboratory during the time the key was in your possession, and you have no knowledge yourself of anyone who did so, except Kitty Despard?"

"No."

"You give me your word of honour that you have spoken the truth?"

Duane flushed, but replied:

"Yes, Miss St. Leger."

On Kitty's arrival in Eileen's wake, the Principal turned to her.

"I have sent for you to ask you a few questions. The matter is rather a serious one, and I want you to answer me very carefully."

Kitty looked in unmistakable astonishment at the circle of serious faces around her.

"You came to the laboratory during the dinner hour to-day to fetch a pipette for Miss Vacher?"

Kitty's look of wonderment became more marked.

"Yes, Miss St. Leger."

"You went straight in and fetched the pipette?"

"Yes."

"Did you touch anything else in the room?"

"No, I don't think so."

"You did not touch the girls' experiments or their balances, for instance?"

"Oh no. I was specially careful not to go near them."

"You did not see anyone else about?"

"No, the corridor was empty. In fact, the building seemed deserted."

"No doubt all the girls were in their houses waiting for the dinner bell. Are you quite sure you locked the door when you left the room?"

"Positive."

Here Miss Vacher interposed. "Yes, we found the door locked right enough when we returned in the afternoon, Miss St. Leger."

"One more question, Kitty. You took the key straight back to Duane? No other girl entered the laboratory while you had it?"

"No one, Miss St. Leger," replied Kitty, shaking her head.

Then Miss St. Leger explained to the puzzled senior what had happened, but Kitty, with absolute candour, declared firmly that she had not interfered with the balances and could offer no explanation of the matter. The other girls said exactly the same, and there the inquiry ended for the time being.

The Principal walked restlessly across the room and stared out of the window into the quad below. "One thing is certain," she remarked; "there are no ordinary means of entry into this room except through the door. Well, I shall probably call the whole school together for a public inquiry. Until then, I want you girls to understand that I do not wish the matter to go any farther. That will do, thank you, girls. I am sorry I have had to take up some of your time. Miss Vacher will take you into the Sixth Form room so that you can write out your results before tea-time."

Tea at Carslake's that day was the usual cheery meal, and if Kitty and Duane were unusually quiet and silent no one gave much heed to them. Consequently, it was quite a shock to all except Kitty and Duane when, directly tea was over, the house mistress gave the order to assemble at once in the hall.

"What on earth's up now?" exclaimed Hilary, as the little party of seniors made their way across the quad to the school building on the heels of their juniors. "Duane, do you know?"

The head prefect paused a moment before she answered, "Yes, I think so, but you'll know all about it in a few minutes."

As she spoke they entered the hall, finding it nearly full, with rank after rank of waiting girls, all talking in subdued murmurs that now and again broke into a clamorous buzz. Silence fell abruptly as Miss St. Leger entered and took her place on the dais at the farther end of the hall. The girls stood in their house places, Sheerston's and Carslake's on the right of the wide central gangway, Prince's and Green's on the left. The Principal then gave the signal for calling-over, a customary formality which only took place on special occasions, and the four head prefects began rapidly calling the names of the girls in their own houses, each girl answering, "Present." With the calling-over the interest in the proceedings increased, if possible, everyone being given the impression that the occasion was a serious one.

Amidst a breathless hush, the Principal began to speak.

"You will be wondering, I know, why I have assembled the whole school so suddenly. I am sorry to say that the reason is a very unpleasant one. It is this. A deliberate attempt was made to spoil the chances of one of the Richoter candidates in the practical examination which, as you all know, took place to-day. You will be still more surprised to hear," pausing as an amazed gasp ran round the room, "that the girl upon whom this despicable trick was attempted is one of the most well-liked and esteemed--perhaps the most popular girl in the school, the head prefect of Sheerston's." A low murmur was heard and all heads turned involuntarily towards Salome, who coloured all over her frank, open face, then paled as swiftly.

"That this silly, stupid attempt failed most lamentably does not, to me, make it any the less serious."

The Principal then proceeded to explain the nature of the experiment the candidates were working, and the apparatus being used. She gave the gist of the inquiry she had held in the laboratory that afternoon, and then went on to say:

"So you see, it certainly seems that the only two girls who can throw any light on this affair are Duane and Kitty. If those two girls will come forward I should like to question them again before the school. They have had a little time since my first inquiry to think things over and may have thought of something which did not then occur to them."

Conscious that the gaze of every soul in the room was on them, Duane and Kitty advanced to Miss St. Leger's dais. Of the two, Duane betrayed the least emotion; her calm imperturbability stood her in good stead now. Kitty was pale and trembling a little, but she looked the Principal straight in the face in her frank, fearless manner, and when she spoke her voice was clear and steady.

"Do you still assert, Kitty, that you did not touch the balances when you went into the laboratory this morning?"

"No, I did not touch them, Miss St. Leger," replied Kitty firmly.

"On your word of honour?"

"On my word of honour."

"You saw nobody near the laboratory when you were there?"

"No, Miss St. Leger," Kitty replied, and a kind of sigh rustled round the listening ranks. The Principal turned to Duane.

"The key did not pass out of your charge except when Kitty had it?"

"No, Miss St. Leger."

"Where were you after dinner when the rest of the girls had gone to afternoon lessons?"

"In my study, resting. I stayed until it was time to return to the laboratory."

"And during that time you did not go to the laboratory yourself?"

"No, Miss St. Leger."

"That will do, thank you. You may go to your places."

"Begorrah!" murmured Paddy under her breath to the next girl, "didn't she look right through them! I wonder they didn't sink through the floor."

The Principal had turned to the girls and was addressing the school again.

"If any girl here thinks she can throw any light on this affair, can tell us anything that we do not at present know, will she please come forward now."

There was silence. The girls looked from one to another, but no one spoke or moved out of her place.

"Someone in this room this evening is the culprit," continued the Principal, in her most impressive tones. "I will make my appeal to that girl, whoever she is. If she is sorry for an impulsive, unconsidered act, the finest way to show her repentance, and the way that calls for most moral courage, would be to come forward now in front of the whole school and confess her guilty intentions."

Again the Principal paused and swept the rows of upturned faces with earnest gaze. Many paled and looked uncomfortable and apprehensive, but no one stirred or spoke and the silence became so intense that one could have heard a pin drop.

Then the Principal turned with a brisk movement and the tension relaxed.

"I will not keep you any longer to-night, girls. I shall let the matter rest for a few days, so that the culprit may have a second chance. If she has not the courage to come forward and confess in front of the school, it is my earnest hope that she will come to me in private, remembering what I said a minute ago. In the meantime I will ask you all to behave quietly and sensibly and not start jumping to any rash or foolish conclusions."

The assembly then broke up, the girls returning to their own houses. The Principal and the mistresses lingered behind on the dais for a few minutes.

"A most distressing thing to happen," Miss Sheerston said in her incisive way. "I would have staked my head that there is not a girl in my house capable of such an act."

The other three house mistresses emphatically declared that they also would have placed undisputed trust in every one of their older girls. There was no character in the school who could be pointed out as flagrantly dishonest. Of course the younger girls were out of the question; they did no science and were incapable of thinking out such a plot.

But it was of Duane and Kitty that the mistresses were thinking chiefly. "It seems as if one of them must be guilty," Miss St. Leger said reflectively, "and one of them a head prefect, too. If only Duane could have accounted for that half-hour or so alone after dinner, then she would have been above suspicion. I hate the thought of suspecting her."

"Things look decidedly black against the other girl, Kitty Despard," Miss Green pointed out. "We know she did go to the laboratory. We have only her word that she didn't touch the balance."

"And yet I am loath to suspect the girl," said Miss St. Leger ruefully. "I liked her straightforward, fearless look, and I reckon myself a pretty good judge of character. If she is guilty, then she is the cleverest hypocrite for a girl I have yet come across. How have you others found her?"

"I like her," said Miss Carslake. "She is not clever, but always bright and open, full of high spirits but quite unassuming. I thought she had been doing a good deal to help the improvement in the house."

"And a real sport on the field," added Miss Bryce, the games mistress. "I mean a sport in the best sense of the word."

"What puzzles me," said Miss Sheerston, "is the motive behind it all. There must be a motive of some sort, that is certain. Constance told me herself she didn't know a single girl in the school who disliked her or who bore her a grudge. The plasticine and gravel offer no clue. There is plenty of the former in the lower form classrooms, used by the little ones for map modelling and that sort of thing, while the path outside is covered with small gravel."

Then Miss Prince proffered a suggestion. "Do you think it is a question, not so much of personal spite but of house rivalry, which as you know is very keen, over examinations as well as over games? That idea excludes Miss Sheerston's girls, of course."

"It might be," admitted the Principal. "I have always encouraged friendly house rivalry, because it raises the standard of work and play. But I should be extremely sorry and disappointed if it has resulted in anything like this."