The door closed behind him.
Principal and teacher faced each other. Miss Ryder's superb calm had vanished. Her eyes were blazing.
"Dis-gust-ing!" she said.
Belinda wrestled heroically to suppress a fit of untimely mirth. She knew Amelia and her set so well. She could picture each detail of the musical flirtation, each ridiculous touch of sentimentality.
"I shall expel her."
Miss Ryder's tone was firm.
Belinda laid a soft hand impulsively upon the arm of the August One. "She isn't bad—just foolish——"
"She's made the school ridiculous."
"The school can stand it. She's made herself more ridiculous, and it will be hard for her to stand that."
"How would you punish her?"