get nervous, all the same; telegrams so often
mean bad news."

Phoebe's apprehensions were justified in this case, though not on her
own account. When morning school was over, the prefects reported that
Miss Drummond had been suddenly called away.

"She has a mother living somewhere in the North, who is most seriously
ill, and is scarcely expected to recover," explained Freda Martin. "She
sent for a carriage at once, and started off to catch the 1.13 train at
Chetbourne. I hope she'll arrive in time. She was most fearfully upset
and distressed, and couldn't make any arrangements; she only said Miss
Forster was to take her classes, and she would come back as soon as she
could."

This unexpected event naturally caused great commotion at the Grange.
Miss Drummond had never before been absent during term time, and, though
the other mistresses did their best in the circumstances, all seemed
rather helpless without her. The principal taught the Sixth Form
herself, and also took science classes throughout the school, so it was
difficult to arrange to supply her place, it being impossible to engage
another teacher, as had been done during Miss Bardsley's absence. By
combining some of the classes, and omitting the science, Miss Forster
managed to arrange fairly well; but as she had not been definitely
placed in command over the entire establishment, she did not like to
usurp too much authority on her own account. No one, therefore, seemed
actually at the head of affairs, or really responsible; and there was a
general feeling of disorganization and slackness.

"It's horrid without Miss Drummond!" said Mabel. "Nobody seems to know
anything, or to be able to do anything while she's away. Even the
medicine cupboard is locked up."

"That's no loss, I'm sure!" returned Aldred.

"Well, as it happens, it is. I've such a splitting headache, I was going
to beg for sal volatile."

"Perhaps Miss Forster may have some."

"I asked her, but she hadn't; and then Mademoiselle came fussing along,
wanting to know what was the matter. When I told her I had a headache,
she declared it might be the beginning of something infectious, and said
that I must sleep in the hospital to-night, and she would examine me
to-morrow morning, to see whether a rash had come out. 'Ve cannot be too
careful vile Mees Drummond is avay!' she said."

"But you're not really going?"

"I shall have to. I'd have asked Miss Forster to interfere, but she'd
hurried