she would have to take the
consequences. To be sure, Eleanor might refuse to go to school, but
Grace had an idea that, lenient as Miss Nevin was with her niece, she
would not allow Eleanor to go that far. Grace decided that she would
have a talk with Eleanor after school. It would do no harm and it might
possibly do some good.

She hurried down to the locker-room that afternoon in order to catch
Eleanor as she left school. She had just reached there when Eleanor
walked in, looking extremely sulky. She jerked her hat and coat from her
locker, hastily donned them, and, without looking at Grace, left the
room.

"She looks awfully cross," thought Grace. "Well, here goes," and she
hurried after Eleanor, overtaking her at the entrance to the school
grounds.

"What's the matter, Eleanor?" she asked. "Didn't you care to wait for
me?"

Eleanor looked at her with lowering brows. "I hate school," she said
vehemently. "I hate the teachers, and I hate Miss Thompson most of all.
Every one of those teachers are common, low-bred and impertinent. As for
your Miss Thompson, she is a self-satisfied prig."

"You must not say such things of Miss Thompson, Eleanor," said Grace
firmly. "She doesn't deserve them. She is one of the finest women I have
ever known, and she takes a warm interest in every girl in school. What
has she done that you should speak of her as you do?"

"She called me into her office this morning and made a whole lot of
fuss because I didn't have a written excuse for yesterday's absence,"
said Eleanor angrily. "When I told her that I stayed at home because
I felt inclined to do so, she almost had a spasm, and gave me another
lecture then and there, ending up by saying that it must not occur
again. I should like to know how she knew I was absent yesterday."

"Miss Thompson always knows when a girl is absent," replied Grace.
"The special teachers report to her every day. It is the rule of this
school for a girl to present her excuse at the office as soon as she
returns; then her name is taken off the absent list. If she is absent
the second day, then a messenger is sent to her home to find out the
cause. I suppose that when Miss Thompson looked over the list, she
remembered seeing you at opening exercises, so of course sent for
you."

"She is a crabbed old maid," said Eleanor contemptuously, "and I despise
her. I'll find some way to get even with her, and all the rest of those
teachers, too."

"You will never