in her doorway and listening. Mary Louise held herself motionless. She
scarcely dared breathe. The principal glanced up and down the hall,
noted the locked doors and presently retired into her room, after a
little while extinguishing the light.

Then Mary Louise felt her way to a window, drew aside the heavy
draperies and carefully released the catch of the sash, which she then
succeeded in raising. The wooden blinds were easily unfastened but swung
back with a slight creak that made her heart leap with apprehension. She
did not wait, now, to learn if the sound had been heard, for already she
had wasted too much time if she intended to catch her train. She leaned
through the window, let her suit case down as far as she could reach,
and dropped it to the ground. Then she climbed through the opening and
let herself down by clinging to the sill. It was a high window, but she
was a tall girl for her age and her feet touched the ground. Now she was
free to go her way.

She lost no time in getting away from the grounds, being guided by a dim
starlight and a glow in the east that was a promise of morning. With
rapid steps she made her way to the station, reaching it over the rough
country road just as the train pulled in. She had been possessed with
the idea that someone was stealthily following her and under the light
of the depot lamps her first act was to swing around and stare into the
darkness from which she had emerged. She almost expected to see Miss
Stearne appear, but it was only a little man with a fat nose and a
shabby suit of clothes, who had probably come from the village to catch
the same train she wanted. He paid no attention to the girl but entered
the same car she did and quietly took his seat in the rear.