n I undressed him to put him to bed, his body was covered
with marks--I could show them to any doctor."

Mr. Harby looked at Ursula to answer. She began to
understand. The woman was threatening to take out a charge of
assault on her son against her. Perhaps she wanted money.

"I caned him," she said. "He was so much trouble."

"I'm sorry if he was troublesome," said the woman, "but he
must have been shamefully beaten. I could show the marks to any
doctor. I'm sure it isn't allowed, if it was known."

"I caned him while he kept kicking me," said Ursula, getting
angry because she was half excusing herself, Mr. Harby standing
there with the twinkle at the side of his eyes, enjoying the
dilemma of the two women.

"I'm sure I'm sorry if he behaved badly," said the woman.
"But I can't think he deserved beating as he has been. I can't
send him to school, and really can't afford to pay the
doctor.--Is it allowed for the teachers to beat the
children like that, Mr. Harby?"

The headmaster refused to answer. Ursula loathed herself, and
loathed Mr. Harby with his twinkling cunning and malice on the
occasion. The other miserable woman watched her chance.

"It is an expense to me, and I have a great struggle to keep
my boy decent."

Ursula still would not answer. She looked out at the asphalt
yard, where a dirty rag of paper was blowing.

"And it isn't allowed to beat a child like that, I am sure,
especially when he is delicate."

Ursula stared with a set face on the yard, as if she did not
hear. She loathed all this, and had ceased to feel or to
exist.

"Though I know he is troublesome sometimes--but I think
it was too much. His body is covered with marks."

Mr. Harby stood sturdy and unmoved, waiting now to have done,
with the twinkling, tiny wrinkles of an ironical smile at the
corners of his eyes. He felt himself master of the
situation.

"And he was violently sick. I couldn't possibly send him to
school to-day. He couldn't keep his head up."

Yet she had no answer.

"You will understand, sir, why he is absent," she said,
turning to Mr. Harby.

"Oh, yes," he said, rough and off-hand. Ursula detested him
for his male triumph. And she loathed the woman. She loathed
everything.

"You will try to have it remembered, sir, that he has a weak
heart. He is so sick after these things."

"Yes," said the headmaster, "I'll see about it."

"I know he is troublesome," the woman only addressed herself
to the male