Regiment of Women

ed down the long corridor a

credibly inky. In the window-seats stood an over-populous fish-bowl, two trays of silkworms, and a row of experimental jam-pots. There were pictures on the walls-The Inf

ave for a mistress sitting at the raised desk, idle, hands folded, ominously patient. A thin w

of the new-comer, but she was g

Miss V

manner was self-sufficient, her speech deliberate and unnecessarily correct: her effe

phoned--Where is the class? I can't be mistaken. It's a quarter

aid Clar

rowned suspiciously. She was instinctive

ow," said C

ould not but be grateful to the occasion for providi

er rose again-"that I have been waiting here since a quarter past twelve. I have waited quite lo

o look for them?" began

, with a change of tone, "Really, Miss Vigers, I don't know whose fault it is, but it has no business to hap

I assure you that it's nothing to do with me. I have r

ugged her

I hardly have time f

broke in

Miss Hartill, I will see to the matter at once. It shall not

girl with the yellow hair? I've heard about her. I haven't spoken to her yet, but the children ap

g me-or you either, I suppose? The niece or daughter or something, of an old mistress. I wonder you didn't hear-but of

yes narro

king quite as well as usual-better indeed

It has happened before-five minutes here-ten there-every

nt.... Henrietta Vigers would enjoy baiting the new-comer-what was her name-Durand? Miss Durand would submit, she supposed. Henrietta was a petty tyrant to the younger mistresses, and Clare Hartill was very much aware of the fact. But the younger mistresses did not interest her; she was no more than idly contemptuous of their flabbiness. Why on earth had none of them appealed to the head mistress? But the new assistant was a spirited-looking crea

tle nod to her colleague, she left the class-roo

d after her wit

taken a train and her troubles to Bournemouth, and poured them out to Authority's bath-chair. And Edith Marsham, the old warhorse, had frowned and nodded and chuckled, and sent her home again, no wiser than she came. But a letter had come for her later, and the bearer had been a quiet, any-aged woman with disquieting eyes. They had summed Henrietta up, and Henrietta had resented it. The new assistant, given, according to instructions, a free hand, had gone about her business, asking no advice. But there had certainly followed a peaceful six months. Then had come speech-day and Henrietta's world had turned upside down. She had not known such a speech-day for years

l in her prime then, old as she was. She had another s

er, eh? I hope you were a go

e Upper Sixth. The younger women might like it, but it did not accord with Henrietta's notions of her own dignity. She was devoutly thankful that Miss Marsham reserved her freedom for private intervie

hands together, shr

lot of time on her, and prayer, too, my dear. Well, I don't regret it now. When I met her at Bournemouth that day-oh, I wasn't pleased with you, Henrietta! It has taken me forty years to build up my school, and I can't be ill two months, but--Well, I made up my mind. I found her at a loose end. I tal

you persuade

brows, had but drawn back

olgirl have you met, He

ffence. It was not in her department. She

s and brunettes, do you mean? No two

rsham had n

her you are sure she can't. You'll soon find out which I told Clare Hartill. And now, understand this, Henrietta. There are to be no dissensions. I want

nal charm, and at the same time insisted fiercely that she was an unscrupulous woman, in that she used her personal charm to accomplish her aims: her aims, in Henrietta's eyes, being the ousting of the secretary from her position of trust and possible succession to the headship. Henrietta did not realise that it was herself, far more than Clare, who was jeopardising that position. Though there was no system of prefecture among the staff, she had come to consider herself responsible for the junior mistresses, encouraging them to bring complaints to her, rather than to the head of the school. Old Miss Marsham, little as she liked relaxing her hold on the reins, dreade

ving refractory and victory hanging in the balance, Miss Vigers would surely choose that moment to knock at the class-room door, and, politely refusing to inconvenience the embarrassed novice, wait, all-observant, until the scene ended, before explaining her errand. Later in the day t

d evoked. Her obvious shyness and desire to please were, however, sufficiently disarming, and her first days had not been made too difficult for her by any save Henrietta. But Henrietta was sure she was incompetent-called to witness her joyous, casual manner, her unorthodox methods, her way of submerging the mistress in the fellow-creature. She had labelled her undisciplined-which Alwynne certainly was-lax and undignified; had prophesied that she would be unable to maintain order; had been annoyed to find that, inspiring neither fear nor awe, she was yet quite capable of making herself respected. Alwynne's jolliness never seemed to expose her to familiarities, ready as she was to join in the laugh against herself when, new to the

slip, and carried the tale, less insignificant in bulk,

he new-comer.... Miss Hartill had a way of taking any one young and attractive under her protection.... That it was with Miss Hartill that the girl had come