“I don’t believe it, Nellie,” she said quietly. “No matter how strong the evidence is against Edina Tooker, I never will--I never _can_--believe that she is a thief!”
She hesitated, started off, and then came back to them again.
“Let’s put the thing reasonably. What possible motive would Edina Tooker have for stealing our poor little Gift Club fund? She doesn’t need it. Her father is a rich man.”
“It’s the truth, just the same. You can look it up if you like!”
How little did Billie guess that in giving that permission or in making that suggestion she was lighting the fuse to a stick of dynamite!
One of the girls who had listened with interest to Nellie Bane’s story went directly to her room and began to write a letter.
It was some days later that the same girl, bursting with news and importance, dashed into the midst of an “agitation meeting” that was being held in the school gymnasium.
Billie had been addressing the meeting, urging moderation in their treatment of Edina, trying to sound hopeful in her prophecy that the money would “turn up yet.”
Into this atmosphere, already surcharged with conflicting emotions, dashed the girl who had written the letter on the memorable day of Nellie Bane’s story. Her name was Nancy Cutter and she carried another letter which she waved about her head as though it had been a flag and this the occasion of a celebration.
Billie’s heart sank as she recognized, or thought she recognized, fresh trouble for Edina. She gave a hasty look around to make sure that the girl from Oklahoma was not present. With relief, she realized that Edina had decided not to brave the meeting. It was just as well. Billie herself had urged her to stay away.
“What is it, Nancy?” asked Billie quietly.
The excited girl shoved the letter into her hand.
“It’s something about Edina Tooker. I thought you might like to read it, Billie!”
“If it’s anything against Edina, I don’t want to read it, Nancy.”
Happy to be in the limelight, Nancy faced the crowd, waving the letter over her head again as though it had been a flag.
“It’s from my aunt and uncle in Oklahoma. I wrote them to find out what I could about Paw Tooker and his million dollar oil well.”
There was a titter among the crowd. Billie clenched her hands.