As Tommy remarked afterwards, however, it didn’t look as if it were going to be a cinch. As a matter of fact, lack of experience made Meadowcroft more critical and exacting always as a teacher than Mr. Appleton; and when he made special effort to be thorough and to take nothing for granted, as he did in this instance, he was truly to be feared. Those fifteen lessons proved something never to be forgotten.
“Wasn’t it fierce!” cried Rose as they sank into their seats in the half-past four train. “Isn’t that man the limit when he’s really mad? Goodness me, do you suppose it will be as bad as this every day, Betty?”
“It will be worse,” said Betty despairingly. “It will be—— O, Rose, here he comes! Just think, we shall have to go home on the same train with him every night. I wish we hadn’t sat here. After this, we’ll take a seat where there aren’t any empty ones near.”
Meadowcroft greeted them politely as he swung himself into the seat opposite. Tommy joined him and the two talked pleasantly all the way; but of course Tommy didn’t know what Mr. Meadowcroft was doing. The girls were silent until the moment they stood at Rose’s door.
“Rose, darling, don’t—don’t feel too badly,” Betty entreated chokingly. “Don’t give up yet. There may be some way out even now.”
“O, Betty, I don’t mind,” rejoined Rose coolly. “In some ways it’s rather a lark. But poor mama! it’ll be hard on her getting up that Latin comp. every night on top of the rest.”
“She won’t need to. After this we’ll do it on the train coming home—we’ll have to ride every night—and with the hour after school and a little while at noon we can get it all right. But I’ll come over after supper to-night to look it over.”
In reality Betty wanted an excuse to relieve her anxiety by seeing Rose again that night. She looked for a terrible change, but Rose seemed as serene and gay as ever. Betty couldn’t understand. Was Rose concealing her grief—her agony? Or didn’t she realize the truth, even now? Or perhaps she relied upon Betty to find a way out?
Betty herself said she would not give up until Wednesday had come and gone. The next day was wretched, but Rose was still cheerful, or appeared to be. And then Wednesday morning came.
What would the day bring forth? From the moment school opened, Betty looked for something to happen. The pipes might burst and the building become so cold that school would have to be dismissed for the day. Something like that had once happened in the grammar school. Or Mr. Meadowcroft might be called away at noon—on business. With all the bitterness in her heart against him, Betty couldn’t have faced the idea of his illness closing the school. Or a very small fire might be discovered, which could easily be put out but not without flooding the school-room and making it impossible to remain there for the rest of the day. The distressed girl was almost tempted to start a blaze herself, but she hardly dared attempt anything so hazardous.