Her firm, emphatic utterance was heard to the farthest end of the hall.
The girls tittered.
Faith Gartney came in at this moment, and walked up quietly to Miss Henderson's side. There was visibly a new impression made, and the tittering ceased.
"I beg pardon, ma'am. I see. But we have so many in, and I didn't fairly look. General housework?"
"Yes; general and particular—both. Whatever I set her to do."
The directress turned toward the throng of faces whose fire of eyes was now all concentrated on the unflinching countenance of Miss Henderson.
"Ellen Mahoney!"
A stout, well-looking damsel, with an expression that seemed to say she answered to her name, but was nevertheless persuaded of the utter uselessness of the movement, half rose from her seat.
"You needn't call up that girl," said Aunt Faith, decidedly; "I don't want her."
Ellen Mahoney had giggled among the loudest.