The brush and the cold water, however, were ruthlessly applied. The prescribed length was carefully measured by Miss Crew and the hair was cut in a straight line just to touch the shoulders. The golden red hair fell in a mass at the girl's feet.
"The young ladies' hair is naturally very curly," said Miss Crew. "I could, if you wished, madam, apply a pomatum to these heads which would prevent any inclination to curl for some time."
"Then please do," said Miss Pinchin.
The pomatum was used with vigour.
Daisy gave a howl of agony. Henrietta sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.
Miss Pinchin supplied each girl with a very large and coarse pocket-handkerchief.
"Dry your eyes and come to lessons now," she said in a cheerful tone. "You look quite respectable, I do declare. Crew, burn that hair."
"Certainly, Miss Pinchin."
When the two Mostyns and their governess entered Discipline they saw a girl seated by the centre table. She was a dark-eyed girl with an unprepossessing face. Her hair was short just like that of the Mostyn girls, and evidently the same pomatum had been used upon it, for there was not a trace of curl. She was busily employed reading her books and did not take the slightest heed of the Mostyns.
Lessons began. Miss Pinchin sat with her watch before her. She desired first Adelaide, then Henrietta, then Daisy to read a page of Green's Shorter History of England aloud. She wasted hardly any words in speech, but when the reading had come to an end, she told Henrietta and Daisy that in future they would have to read Little Arthur's History of England. Then she turned to Adelaide.