Cullingford asked Carol to come to her after dismissal, as she wanted to
talk to her a while about her poem. So Carol went to her room, but I
didn't wait, because I was anxious to get home and help Mother with a
new dress she's been making for me. I told Carol that I'd watch out for
her when she came home, and run out to the gate to hear what Miss
Cullingford had said about the poem. Carol said she wouldn't have but a
minute to spare, because her mother and her Aunt Agatha were going to
take her to dinner with some friends at Bridgeton, and so would be
anxious for her to hurry and dress so they could catch the four o'clock
trolley.

I went home by myself and sewed hard for an hour or so. About five
minutes of four Carol came rushing up the road and dashed in at her
gate, late as usual. I grabbed up my coat, and hurried out to catch her
before she went into the house. She was breathless with running, and her
eyes had the wildest look. I thought it was because she was so late, but
she panted out:"O Susette! I'd give _anything_ if I only had the time to talk, but
Mother and Aunt Agatha will be wild at me, as it is. I'm _so_ late! But
what do you think? You'll never guess. I've found out _whose portrait
that is in Monsieur's room_!"

I was simply stunned."I don't believe you!" I cried. "This is just a trick. You can't catch me that way."

"No, no! It isn't a trick. It's true!" she panted. "You'll have to wait till to-morrow. I'll tell you all about it then." And she was gone into the house without another word.

This is simply horrible. Can I ever wait till to-morrow?

CHAPTER IX
CAROL MAKES A DISCOVERY OF HER OWN

To Sue, the night that followed seemed endless. The mere idea that Carol had actually discovered something, and then hadn't even had a chance to give her the faintest inkling about it, was enough to keep her from a wink of sleep. But dawn came at last, and with the first light she was up and dressing frantically. If she had thought of it, she might have known that her chum would not be about for the next three hours.

Breakfast on that day was only an empty form, and no sooner was it over than Sue snatched up her books and rushed madly from the house, much to the amazement of the rest of her family. Never doubting that she would hear the whole 

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