I started back to the school at a quarter to four. Many of the girls in the dorm were downstairs in the lounge talking about me. They grew silent when I appeared and watched me leave, some going to the windows to stare out as I paraded up the path, my head high. I had taken nothing with me, but I made sure Nina's good gris-gris, the dime on a string, was around my ankle.

The sky had turned ominously gray, the thick overcast moving quickly to block out any sight of blue until the world looked dark and dreary, reflecting the way I felt in my heart. There was even a surprising chill in the air, so I hurried into the building.

At this time of the day, there were few students wandering about the halls. Those who were there stopped whatever they were doing to stare and then whisper as I made my way down the corridor toward Mrs. Ironwood's office. The door to her inner office was closed and Mrs. Randle was not at her desk. I took a seat and waited, watching the clock tick closer and closer toward four. At exactly four the door to the inner office was opened. Mrs. Ironwood herself stood there, a look of both disappointment and disgust on her face when she saw me waiting.

"Come in and take your seat," she ordered, and pivoted to return to her desk.

The room furniture had been rearranged so that it appeared more like a courtroom. A chair for witnesses had been placed to the left of Mrs. Ironwood's desk. Mrs. Randle, who was there to record the hearing, sat at a small table to the right of the desk. To the left of what would be the witness chair sat the panel of judges: Mr. Norman, my science teacher; Miss Weller, the librarian; and Deborah Peck, who wore a smirk of satisfaction that made my stomach churn with anger. I was sure she would be on the phone to her brother the moment this had ended. Mrs. Gray sat to the left on the settee, looking very unhappy and very troubled.

There was a seat for me, the accused, facing the desk, which Mrs. Ironwood indicated with a nod for me to take. I did so quickly, my eyes fixed on the panel. I was determined not to look frightened or guilty, but my chest felt as if I had swallowed a clump of swamp mosquitoes, all of which buzzed and bit around my pounding heart.

"This formal hearing to determine whether or not to expel student Ruby Dumas will commence," Mrs. Ironwood began. She put on her glasses to read the charges once again. While she read, I felt everyone's eyes on me, but I didn't change expression. I kept my eyes fixed on her, my back straight, my hands comfortably in my lap. "Do you plead guilty or not guilty to these charges?" she asked in conclusion.

"Not guilty," I said. My voice threatened to crack, but I held it together. Mrs. Ironwood straightened up.

"Very well. We shall continue then. Mrs. Gray," she said, turning to the small-framed, dark-brown-haired lady with soft blue eyes. I knew that up until now she had been very fond of me, often complimenting me on my class work. She looked like she had a broken heart and was doing something terribly painful to her, but she stood up, took a deep breath, and went to the witness chair.

"Please describe to the panel what you know and what you have seen, Mrs. Gray," Mrs. Ironwood instructed.

Mrs. Gray glanced at me quickly and then directed herself to the three who were to pass judgment. "Last night at approximately seven-twenty, seven twenty-five, I was returning from having dinner with Mrs. Johnson, the dorm mother at Waverly. I had left my car in the faculty parking lot and walked. When I rounded the turn, I saw someone hurrying toward the lake and the boathouse, moving surreptitiously through the shadows. Curious because I knew it had to be one of our students, I turned down the path to the lake."

She paused to take a deep breath and swallow.

"I heard the door of the boathouse open. I heard what was definitely female laughter, and then I heard the door close. I went down to the dock and continued. When I reached the boathouse, I paused because the window was open and I had a clear view of what was going on inside."

"And what was going on inside?" Mrs. Ironwood asked when Mrs. Gray hesitated. She closed her eyes, bit down on her lower lip, and then took another breath and resumed.

"I saw Buck Dardar wearing only his briefs, embracing a girl. When he pulled back a bit, I had a full view of the girl."

"And who was this girl?" Mrs. Ironwood demanded quickly.

"I saw Ruby Dumas. Naturally, I was shocked and disappointed. Before I could utter a sound, she unbuttoned her white blouse and began to take it off. Buck Dardar embraced her again."

"What was she wearing at this point?" Mrs. Ironwood asked.

"She was . . . half nude," Mrs. Gray said. "She wore only her skirt."

I saw Deborah Peck's mouth drop open. Miss Weller shook her head in disgust. Mr. Norman only closed his eyelids a bit but kept his face frozen, his lips unmoving, his eyes directed at Mrs. Gray.

"Go on," Mrs. Ironwood instructed.

"I was so astonished and disappointed, I felt weak and nauseated," Mrs. Gray said. I turned away and hurried up the path,"

"After which you called me to make your report. Isn't that true?"

Mrs. Gray looked at me and nodded.

"Yes."

"Thank you."

"It wasn't me, Mrs. Gray," I said softly.

"Quiet. You will have your time to speak," Mrs. Ironwood snapped. "You can leave now, Mrs. Gray," she said, nodding.

"I'm sorry. I had to tell what I saw," she said to me as she stood up. "I'm very disappointed."

I shook my head, my tears building behind my lids.

"After this report was made to me," Mrs. Ironwood began as soon as Mrs. Gray had left, "I called Buck Dardar to this office early in the morning. I confronted him with Mrs. Gray's testimony and I took out Ruby Dumas's file and showed him her picture so he could confirm that the girl Mrs. Gray reported with him in the boathouse was indeed Ruby Dumas. I will now read his sworn and signed statement.″

She picked up a document.

" 'I, Buck Dardar, do hereby admit that on the occasion noted and on a number of previous occasions,' " she read, raising her eyebrows and looking at the panel, " 'I did have intimate relations with Ruby Dumas. Miss Dumas came to my quarters on at least a half dozen previous occasions to flirt and offer herself to me. I confess to accepting her advances. On the occasion cited, Ruby Dumas arrived at the boathouse at seven-thirty and she didn't leave until after nine-thirty. I do regret my involvement with this student and accept the punishment rendered by Mrs. Ironwood on this date.'

"As you can see," she concluded, handing the document to Miss Weller, "he has signed it."

Miss Weller gazed at the paper, nodded, and then passed it to Mr. Norman. He glanced at it and handed it to Deborah, who held it the longest before returning it to Mrs. Ironwood. Looking as satisfied as a raccoon with its belly full, she sat back in her chair.

"You may offer your defense now," Mrs. Ironwood said.

I turned toward the panel. "I don't doubt that Mrs. Gray saw someone go to the boathouse last night at seven-thirty, and I know she believes she's telling the truth, but she is mistaken. I was not in there. I was—"

"I'll tell them where you were," we heard. I spun around in my chair to see Miss Stevens leading Louis through the door.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mrs. Ironwood demanded.

I think I was just as shocked as she was. Louis, in a jacket and tie, his hair brushed neatly, nodded.

"I'm here to testify for the defendant" He smiled in my direction. "Ruby Dumas," he said. "May I?"

"Of course not. This is a school matter and I—"

"But I have information pertaining to the case," he insisted. "Is that the witness chair?" He nodded in the right direction.

Mrs. Ironwood threw a furious, hot glance at Miss Stevens and then looked at the panel, all of whom were looking at her and waiting.

"This is highly irregular," she said.

"What's irregular about it? This is a hearing, and a hearing is the place to bring evidence, is it not?" Louis asked. "I'm sure you want to get at the truth," he added with a smile.

Everyone looked from Louis to Mrs. Ironwood. Louis moved toward the chair when she was silent. He sat down and pulled himself up comfortably.

"My name is Louis Turnbull. I am Mrs. Clairborne's grandson, and I reside in the Clairborne mansion, as it is known." He turned in Mrs. Ironwood's direction. "Do I have to give my age, occupation?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Louis. You have no business being here."

"I have business being here," he replied firmly. "Now then, as I understand it, the issue is whether or not Ruby Dumas was at the boathouse last night at seven-thirty and after, correct? Well, I can assure the panel she wasn't. She was with me. She arrived at seven-fifteen and remained until nine o'clock."

A leaden silence fell over the room, making the tick-tock of the grandfather clock seem much louder than it was. "Isn't that the issue?" Louis pursued.

"Very well. If you wish to carry on like this: How can you be sure of the exact time?" Mrs. Ironwood challenged. "You are blind." She gave the panel a look of superiority.

Louis turned to the panel as well. "I have, it is true, been suffering with an eyesight problem. But of late, I have made significant progress," he said, then glanced toward me and smiled. He turned toward the grandfather clock in the corner of the office. "Let's see. According to my cousin's office clock, it is now four-twenty . . . two," he said. He was exactly right. I looked at the panel. All of them were impressed.

"Of course, I can have you verify all of this by calling in our butler, Otis, who greeted Mademoiselle Dumas and saw her out at the end of the evening. He also served us tea while she visited. So you see, there is no physical way for her to have been at the boathouse last night at seven-thirty, eight, eight-thirty, nine," he chanted.

"A well-respected member of my faculty says otherwise, and I have a signed confession—"

"Please go out to the car and ask Otis to come in," Louis said to Miss Stevens.

"That won't be necessary," Mrs. Ironwood countered quickly.

"But if my testimony is under some doubt . . ." He turned toward Mrs. Ironwood. "If need be, I'm sure I can convince my grandmother to corroborate my testimony too."

She stared at him. The fury that built in her face had turned her cheeks red and spread down her neck, making it crimson as well.

"You're not doing anyone any good, Louis," Mrs. Ironwood muttered.

"Except Mademoiselle Dumas," he said.

She bit down on her lower lip and then sat back, swallowing her rage.

"Very well. Under the circumstances, with this contradiction of facts, I don't see how we can ask our panel to render a clear judgment. I'm sure you all agree," she said. Mr. Norman, Miss Weller, and Deborah, her eyes wide, all nodded.

"Accordingly, I am declaring this hearing ended without concluding the question. I want to emphasize that this is not to say that the student in question has been exonerated. It's merely a declaration that a clear conclusion is not possible at this time."

She looked at me.

"You are dismissed," she said. Then she turned away, her frustration causing her to fume so intently, I thought I saw smoke come out of her ears. My heart was pounding so hard, the thumping echoing in my ears, I was sure everyone in the room heard it as clearly. "I said, the hearing is ended," Mrs. Ironwood snapped when I didn't get up quickly. I stood up.

Louis rose and walked out with me and Miss Stevens.

"Why did you bring him, Miss Stevens?" I asked as soon as we were out of the inner office. "Mrs. Ironwood is so angry she's liable to take it out on you."

"I thought about it and decided I couldn't lose my best artist," she said, smiling. "Besides, once Louis heard what was happening to you, I couldn't have kept him away, could I, Louis?"

"Absolutely not," he said, smiling.

"And your eyesight is so improved, Louis!" I exclaimed. "You read the time to the minute."

He smiled again, and Miss Stevens laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Louis anticipated being challenged with his eyesight and asked me the exact time just before we entered the office," Miss Stevens explained.

"I knew if I was off a minute or so it would still be impressive," he said.

"But you weren't. You were right on the minute," I cried. I hugged him. "Thank you, Louis."

"It was fun. I've finally done something for someone else," he said.

"And you'll probably get in trouble with your grandmother for it," I said.