They
had given the thing a chance to develop, and they were satisfied now
that a mistake had been made somewhere. Of course the clever turns
made by Viola, kept "the ball rolling."

"There's the bell!" announced Amy, reluctantly leaving the discussion
unfinished. This was the signal for laying aside all topics other than
those relative to the curriculum of Glenwood, and, as the girls filed
into the chapel for prayers, more than one missed Dorothy, her first
morning to absent herself from the exercise.

Miss Higley was in charge, Mrs. Pangborn also being out of her
accustomed place.

Directly after the short devotions there was whispering.

"Young ladies!" called the teacher, in a voice unusually severe, "you
must attend strictly to your work. There has been enough lax
discipline in Glenwood recently. I will have no more of it."

"Humph!" sniffed Viola, aside, "since when did she buy the school!"

Miss Higley's eyes were fastened upon her. But Viola's recent
experiences had the effect of making her reckless--she felt quite
immune to punishment now.

"Attend to your work, Miss Green!" called Miss Higley.

"Attend to your own," answered Viola under her breath, but the teacher
saw that she had spoken, and knew that the remark was not a polite one.

"What did you say?" asked the teacher.

"Nothing," retorted Viola, still using a rude tone.

"You certainly answered me, and I insist upon knowing what you said."

Viola was silent now, but her eyes spoke volumes.

"Will you please repeat that remark?" insisted Miss Higley.

"No," said Viola, sharply, "I will not!"

Miss Higley's ruddy face flashed a deep red. To have a pupil openly
defy a teacher is beyond the forgiveness of many women less aggressive
than Miss Higley.

"You had better leave the room," she said--"take your books with you."

"I won't require them," snapped Viola, intending to give out the
impression that she would leave school if she were to be treated in
that manner by Miss Higley.

"Get at your work, young ladies," finished the teacher, fastening her
eyes on her own books, and thus avoiding anything further with Viola.

To reach her room Viola was obliged to pass Dorothy's. Just as she
came up to number nineteen Dorothy opened the door. Her eyes were red
from weeping, and she looked very unhappy indeed.

"Oh, do come in Viola," she said, surprised to see the girl before her.
"I was going to you directly after class--I did not kn