Beth thought her exceedingly rude, and passed on into the vestibule unconcernedly.
"Well, that's cool cheek!" Inkie exclaimed.
"Hie—you—new girl! come back here directly, and go round the other way, just to teach you manners."
Beth turned back with flaming cheeks, looked at her hard a moment.
"That for your manners!" she said, snapping her fingers at her.
Amy Wynne rose from her seat and went up to Beth. "You must learn at once, Miss Caldwell," she said, "that you will not be allowed to speak to the elder girls like that."
"Then the elder girls had better learn at once," said Beth defiantly, "that they will not be allowed to speak to me as your Inkie-person did just now. You'll not teach me manners by being rude to me; and if any girl in the school is ever rude to me again, I'll box her ears. Now, I apologise for coming through your room, but you should keep the door shut."
When she had spoken, she returned to the big class-room deliberately, and crossed it to the other door. As she did so, she noticed that a strange hush had fallen upon the girls, and they were all looking at her curiously. She went into the hall, and was passing the vestibule door, when Miss Bey, who was sitting just inside knitting, stopped her.
"Where are you going, Miss Caldwell?" she asked in her sharp way.
"Upstairs," Beth answered.