,
whose images alone have immortality, that made her own image somewhat
transient, so that when he left her no mystic influence remained, and
only by an effort could he realize that God had united them forever.

They conversed and differed healthily upon other topics. A rifle corps
was to be formed: she hoped that the boys would have proper uniforms,
instead of shooting in their old clothes, as Mr. Jackson had suggested.
There was Tewson; could nothing be done about him? He would slink away
from the other prefects and go with boys of his own age. There was
Lloyd: he would not learn the school anthem, saying that it hurt his
throat. And above all there was Varden, who, to Rickie's bewilderment,
was now a member of Dunwood House.

"He had to go somewhere," said Agnes. "Lucky for his mother that we had
a vacancy."

"Yes--but when I meet Mrs. Orr--I can't help feeling ashamed."

"Oh, Mrs. Orr! Who cares for her? Her teeth are drawn. If she chooses
to insinuate that we planned it, let her. Hers was rank dishonesty. She
attempted to set up a boarding-house."

Mrs. Orr, who was quite rich, had attempted no such thing. She had taken
the boy out of charity, and without a thought of being unconstitutional.
But in had come this officious "Limpet" and upset the headmaster,
and she was scolded, and Mrs. Varden was scolded, and Mr. Jackson was
scolded, and the boy was scolded and placed with Mr. Pembroke, whom she
revered less than any man in the world. Naturally enough, she considered
it a further attempt of the authorities to snub the day-boys, for whose
advantage the school had been founded. She and Mrs. Jackson discussed
the subject at their tea-parties, and the latter lady was sure that
no good, no good of any kind, would come to Dunwood House from such
ill-gotten plunder.

"We say, 'Let them talk,'" persisted Rickie, "but I never did like
letting people talk. We are right and they are wrong, but I wish the
thing could have been done more quietly. The headmaster does get so
excited. He has given a gang of foolish people their opportunity. I
don't like being branded as the day-boy's foe, when I think how much I
would have given to be a day-boy myself. My father found me a nuisance,
and put me through the mill, and I can never forget it particularly the
evenings."

"There's very little bullying here," said Agnes.

"There was very little bullying at my school. There was simply the
atmosphere of unkindness, which no discip