Entering the classroom, the greatly respected principal looked about her. She saw Dorothy busy at her work, she saw Tavia bent over her books, with one eye on them and the other roaming about.
The visit of the principal was always regarded as a matter of importance. Now every pupil sat up straight, and took that opportunity of resting her eyes from letters.
“I just want to say, young ladies,” began Mrs. Pangborn, “that I have been surprised at the liberty some of you have taken, from this school. I have never felt it necessary before to give out such positive orders. I do not know who may be to blame, but I will not again excuse any girl for such lax order and discipline, as might seem to her a fitting reason for her to visit a common fortune teller!
“You must all know that there is no such thing as the possibility of any human being telling of future events. If such a thing were possible do you not see what a wonderful advantage it would be in the world’s greatest happenings? I do not think I need go further into this subject, other than to say that I positively forbid any member of Glenwood Hall from going to any fortune teller. If I find that any girl has disobeyed this rule I shall be obliged to dismiss her.”
A dead silence followed these few words. Tavia’s eyes only might be seen to show a glow of satisfaction. And yet Tavia had under her mattress a letter with this Madam Shebad’s name on the corner!
And no one had yet found out where Tavia and Edna had been when Tavia sprained her ankle.
Dorothy’s eyes glowed nervously. Zada looked directly out of the window, and, as she bit her lips, Mrs. Pangborn wondered why she should seem so strained. Edna settled all her movements on Tavia, and if the teachers had called a fire drill, likely Edna would have asked Tavia what to do before she did anything.
Jean was still suffering from her collapse, and was not in the classroom.
It was a beautiful autumn day, and when she had given her positive instructions, Mrs. Pangborn thought it might be as well for her classes to go out into the woods, for the last of the season’s nature work, as to remain in the room struggling with technicalities.
Miss Cummings, Miss Hays and Miss Boylan were told to take the classes to the woods. They were to bring back specimens of the dogwood, the late flowers of the underbrush, and such varieties of outdoor life as make the Autumn famous.