"It appears, then, that it is a matter of 'feeling' in the school, rather than of actual proof. For my part, I still cannot see how one girl can be adjudged guilty any more than the other. Either might have done it; we cannot definitely prove that either did do it. It was because of this doubt in the matter, and also because both girls bore an unblemished record in the school, that I decided to let the matter rest. You know, girls, one should be very certain of guilt, before proceeding to inflict punishment."
"We have tried to be quite fair, Miss St. Leger," said Vanda gravely.
"Yes, I know that." Miss St. Leger smiled. "There isn't much I don't know about the characters of the girls in my school, believe me. But I wish you had spoken to me of this exceedingly strong tide of feeling in the school before, instead of taking the easier course and doing nothing. However, now I do know, I will tell you my decision. I have refused to accept Duane's resignation because, for the two reasons I have just given you, I do not see that there is sufficient justification for it.
"I want you to realize this also. In taking on the head prefectship in the third term of a school year and also in a house where the juniors had already shown themselves to be a particularly unruly and unbalanced set as a whole, Duane was accepting a far from easy task. I don't think you girls understood quite how difficult her position was."
"Oh, yes, we knew it was not an easy one," said Hilary earnestly.
"Then some allowances must be made for mistakes, for failures now and again. For one thing, it was an unprecedented happening for a Fifth-former to become head prefect—to be head and yet not the equal of the other head prefects. Again, there was an unfortunately large majority of juniors over seniors in Carslake's. I am confident, however, that there will be a great improvement after the holidays. The older juniors will be seniors and will realize the responsibility of their position more readily. I am hoping that much of this unpleasantness will be buried and put out of mind during the summer vacation. I would prefer, if the culprit cannot be discovered so as to settle the matter beyond all doubt, that the affair should be forgotten, or at any rate, laid entirely on one side. I am hoping, also, that Duane will have sufficient strength of character to live down this feeling in the school against her. You," addressing the Carslake seniors, "will, I hope, back up your head prefect as much as you can."
"We have always done that, Miss St. Leger," replied Hilary. "It isn't through us that Duane sent in her resignation. But supposing the juniors still refuse to acknowledge Duane's authority?"
"I do not think they will do that, with my authority behind the head prefect's. In fact, I shall see to it that they do not. I will speak to them about it, if necessary, but I think things will work more smoothly after the holidays. That is all I have to say to you just now, girls. I know I can rely on you always to do what you can to help."
That term at Easthampton, however, was destined to end in a manner befitting the rest of its troubled course. The day after the intervention of the Principal the baby of Dormitory A, little Erica Salter, was taken to the sanatorium with a high temperature, her illness being later diagnosed as a severe attack of 'flu. Hilary was the next one to fall a victim, and when, before the week was out, half a dozen girls in Carslake's and as many in the other houses joined them, Miss St. Leger decided that the best plan would be to close the school before the epidemic grew worse; in any case, it would only shorten the term by a bare week, and as examinations were over, the only event that was left was the Sports Day, and that she decided to postpone till early in the next term.
Great was the jubilation in the school when it was announced that girls might communicate with their people and leave for the summer vacation as soon as they could make arrangements to do so. All thoughts of lessons were abandoned and everyone commenced to pack feverishly. The dormitories and the vestibule presented a scene as animated and busy as a London terminus on August Bank Holiday.