l treat; and, taken altogether, my
sister and I felt it to be our duty to--"

At that moment there was a sharp tap at the door, and two of the bigger
girls rushed to open it, orders being forgotten as "teacher" was so
busy, and Feelier Potts triumphed, throwing open the door, and revealing
the round, smiling features of Mr William Forth Burge--features which
ceased to smile as he realised the fact that the vicar's sisters were
there.

"Oh, isn't Miss Burge here?" he said.

"No, sir, plee, sir. Miss Burge goed ever so long ago."

"Oh, thank you. Good-day," said Mr William Forth Burge hastily; then
raising his hat he walked on, and the door closed very slowly. Miss
Feelier Potts finding an opportunity to make a face at a passing boy
through the last six inches of slit between door and jamb, to which the
young gentleman replied by throwing a stone with a smart rap against the
panels.

Miss Lambent's eyes nearly closed, and as the girls buzzed and went on
with their lessons, staring hard the while. Hazel Thorne was asking
herself whether this would be the last week of her stay in Plumton, for
she felt that after this indignity it would be impossible for her to
retain her post. Her heart beat fast, her cheeks were alternately white
and scarlet with shame and mortification, and her goaded spirit rose as
she longed to sharply chastise those who degraded her by their unwomanly
charges with their own weapon--the tongue.

But she could not speak--she dared not for fear that the anger and
indignation that were choking her should find vent in hysterical sobs
and tears.

This she could not bear, for it would have been humiliating herself
before her tormentors. No; she felt that they might say what they
liked: she would not stoop to answer; and seeing that they had the poor
girl at their mercy, the sisters took it in turns to deliver a lecture
upon the unseemly behaviour of a young person in her position, exhorting
her to remember the greatness of her charge, and the probabilities of
the girls taking their cue from their mistress.

Of course, Miss Lambent did not make use of the objectionable theatrical
word _cue_--it is doubtful whether she had ever heard it but she managed
to express the petty vindictive spite that she felt against the young
mistress for her grievous sin in receiving so much attention from Mr
William Forth Burge, whose vulgarity she was quite ready to forgive,
should he have made her an offer; and B