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 ruin you. D'yer understand? And I can do it, too, in about a week, ruin your damned school, and keep you out of any other job. Is that clear?"

"It's perfectly clear," answered Austin, "and if I could put any attention on it, I should feel badly about it. As it is, it doesn't matter to me at all. Now have you any idea as to where Elise might have gone?"

"If I had," said Mr. Johns, "you are the last person I'd tell about it. I don't trust you."

"You don't trust me simply because you don't like what I said about your shouting," said Austin. "Is that sensible?"

"Don't you worry about whether I'm sensible or not," said Mr. Johns.

"No, I'll give you my word I won't," answered Austin, and left the room. In the hall he came face to face with Miss Hayes. Suddenly the idea occurred to him that Miss Hayes had been avoiding him all the morning. She tried to slip past now, but he stopped her.

"Miss Hayes," he said, "where is Elise?"

She laughed. "Why, Mr. Bevans," she answered, "if I knew, don't you think I would have told you long ago?"