see Dr. Porter. This is a serious matter.”
Silently, they filed out of the auditorium and down the hall. Dr. Porter’s secretary ushered them immediately into his office.
“Now,” said Dr. Porter. “What’s this all about?”
Though she was clearly frightened, Rachel explained. She didn’t make it sound like it was all Eugene Scott’s fault. Jessie admired her for that.
“I know it was wrong,” she said at the end of her story. “But I needed the money.”
Dr. Porter frowned. “I’m sure something else could have been worked out.”
“What’s going to happen, sir?” Rachel asked.
“This college does not condone plagiarism,” Dr. Porter said solemnly. “We cannot tolerate this kind of behavior.”
Benny didn’t understand everything the president was saying, but it didn’t sound very good.
“We will find Eugene. If what you say is true, he will be expelled immediately,” Able Porter pronounced. “What he did will remain on his records, no matter which other schools he applies to.”
“And me, sir?” Rachel’s voice wavered.
Dr. Porter shook his head with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Rachel. You must be dismissed also. You were a part of Eugene’s crime.”
Rachel lifted her chin. “I understand, sir. I’ll pack and be out of my dorm room as soon as possible.”
“I’m sorry,” the president told her sincerely. “I wish you had come to me. I would have helped your financial situation.”
Jessie reached out and grabbed Rachel’s hand. The young woman was trembling.
The meeting was over. The Aldens and Rachel left Dr. Porter’s office.
Violet saw Rachel bite her lip to keep from crying. Violet felt like crying herself. She knew Rachel had done a bad thing, but the punishment seemed so harsh.
“Grandfather,” she whispered, touching his sleeve, “can’t you do something?”
“You mean to help Rachel?” He thought a moment. “Yes, I believe I can. Able Porter and I go back a long way. I’m sure he will work with me to help Rachel get a new start.”
Rachel stared at him with huge eyes. “You mean I won’t have to give up my dream of becoming a scientist?”
“You will have to leave Mountvale College,” James Alden told her. “But I’m sure I can help you finish your schooling. The world needs young scientists.”
Rachel threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Mr. Alden! I’ll work harder than ever! I promise!”
“I know you will,” Grandfather said. “Now, I’d better get back to the conference.”
“Can I come, too?” Rachel asked. “There’s something I have to do.”
“All right,” Grandfather relented. “Everyone might as well come. The conference is nearly over anyway.”
Back inside the auditorium, Rachel went directly to Mark Jacobs. She handed him the envelope.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I hope you don’t hate me, but I don’t blame you if you do. Here are your notes.”
Mark seemed overjoyed to get his notes back.
“I can rewrite my paper,” he said. “And mail it to the conference committee. It’ll be submitted late, but it won’t be a total loss.” Then he said to Rachel, “No, I don’t hate you.”
Now James Alden stepped up to the podium. “Since you have your notes, Mark, why don’t you give us an overview of your discovery.”
Mark jumped up. “I can do that! I even have slides.”
Henry poked Jessie. “We’re finally going to find out Mark’s discovery!”
The lights were dimmed and the projector was turned on. Everyone stared at the white screen onstage.
Mark took over the microphone. When he spoke, his voice vibrated with energy.
“In this great universe of ours,” he said, “there are many wonders. Astronomers have always searched for those wonders, like the discovery of our own solar system. But lately astronomers are looking beyond our solar system. They are finding other solar systems, other galaxies.”
He paused to click the button on the slide projector. A dark picture with a lot of
Silently, they filed out of the auditorium and down the hall. Dr. Porter’s secretary ushered them immediately into his office.
“Now,” said Dr. Porter. “What’s this all about?”
Though she was clearly frightened, Rachel explained. She didn’t make it sound like it was all Eugene Scott’s fault. Jessie admired her for that.
“I know it was wrong,” she said at the end of her story. “But I needed the money.”
Dr. Porter frowned. “I’m sure something else could have been worked out.”
“What’s going to happen, sir?” Rachel asked.
“This college does not condone plagiarism,” Dr. Porter said solemnly. “We cannot tolerate this kind of behavior.”
Benny didn’t understand everything the president was saying, but it didn’t sound very good.
“We will find Eugene. If what you say is true, he will be expelled immediately,” Able Porter pronounced. “What he did will remain on his records, no matter which other schools he applies to.”
“And me, sir?” Rachel’s voice wavered.
Dr. Porter shook his head with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Rachel. You must be dismissed also. You were a part of Eugene’s crime.”
Rachel lifted her chin. “I understand, sir. I’ll pack and be out of my dorm room as soon as possible.”
“I’m sorry,” the president told her sincerely. “I wish you had come to me. I would have helped your financial situation.”
Jessie reached out and grabbed Rachel’s hand. The young woman was trembling.
The meeting was over. The Aldens and Rachel left Dr. Porter’s office.
Violet saw Rachel bite her lip to keep from crying. Violet felt like crying herself. She knew Rachel had done a bad thing, but the punishment seemed so harsh.
“Grandfather,” she whispered, touching his sleeve, “can’t you do something?”
“You mean to help Rachel?” He thought a moment. “Yes, I believe I can. Able Porter and I go back a long way. I’m sure he will work with me to help Rachel get a new start.”
Rachel stared at him with huge eyes. “You mean I won’t have to give up my dream of becoming a scientist?”
“You will have to leave Mountvale College,” James Alden told her. “But I’m sure I can help you finish your schooling. The world needs young scientists.”
Rachel threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Mr. Alden! I’ll work harder than ever! I promise!”
“I know you will,” Grandfather said. “Now, I’d better get back to the conference.”
“Can I come, too?” Rachel asked. “There’s something I have to do.”
“All right,” Grandfather relented. “Everyone might as well come. The conference is nearly over anyway.”
Back inside the auditorium, Rachel went directly to Mark Jacobs. She handed him the envelope.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I hope you don’t hate me, but I don’t blame you if you do. Here are your notes.”
Mark seemed overjoyed to get his notes back.
“I can rewrite my paper,” he said. “And mail it to the conference committee. It’ll be submitted late, but it won’t be a total loss.” Then he said to Rachel, “No, I don’t hate you.”
Now James Alden stepped up to the podium. “Since you have your notes, Mark, why don’t you give us an overview of your discovery.”
Mark jumped up. “I can do that! I even have slides.”
Henry poked Jessie. “We’re finally going to find out Mark’s discovery!”
The lights were dimmed and the projector was turned on. Everyone stared at the white screen onstage.
Mark took over the microphone. When he spoke, his voice vibrated with energy.
“In this great universe of ours,” he said, “there are many wonders. Astronomers have always searched for those wonders, like the discovery of our own solar system. But lately astronomers are looking beyond our solar system. They are finding other solar systems, other galaxies.”
He paused to click the button on the slide projector. A dark picture with a lot of
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