Answer:
Louise Carpenter was gripping a desk, her knuckles white.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question above is related to the story entitled, "Object Lesson," which was written by Ellery Queen (a pseudonym).
The story centers on the character of Ellery, as he was called by Miss Carpenter to have a speech in class regarding "Notorious Criminals I Have Known." This came about when Miss Carpenter knew that three of his students in class were responsible for a juvenile crime she witnessed. However, on the day of the speech, Miss Carpenter noticed that someone stole her $7 inside her envelop.
As Ellery was searching the different places where the suspect might have placed the $7, "Louise Carpenter was gripping a desk, her knuckles white." This causes uncertainty on the reader because it doesn't give a clear sign whether the money will be found or not.
Louise Carpenter's action shows that she is "anticipating to be let down." This means that she, somehow, figured out that Ellery won't be able to find the suspect and money because they only have a few minutes left (4 and 1/2 minutes, to be exact).