"Miss Clonmell," said Miss Foster, in tones that could be heard to the farthest corner of the playground, "I really must protest against your corrupting the boys of this house by vulgar flirtation of that kind."
Lallie stood still in her turn, absolutely petrified by indignant astonishment.
Cripps crimsoned to the roots of his hair, caught each of his friends by the arm and hurried them indoors.
"How dare you speak to me like that?" Lallie gasped out; "and before the boys too? How dare you insult me so?"
"I shall continue to do what I consider my duty whether it be agreeable to you or not, Miss Clonmell, and I tell you again that I will not have these vulgar flirtations."
"It is you who put a vulgar interpretation on the simplest actions," Lallie exclaimed furiously, and with that she turned and ran down the stairs again and across the hall and out at the front door before Miss Foster fully realised that she was gone.
At Miss Foster's first words poor Mr. Johns had turned and fled upstairs again, through the swing door, and out to the landing from which he could look down into the hall, and he saw Lallie's swift and furious exit. Down the sacred front stairs he dashed and out into the drive after her, catching her just as she turned into the road.
As he joined her she lifted to him her white miserable face with tragic eyes all dark with grief and anger.
"I must walk and walk," she said breathlessly. "I am so angry; if I had stayed another minute I should have done that woman an injury. You heard what she said?"
"I quite understand," Mr. Johns said soothingly. "I hope you'll allow me to come with you. I won't talk."