still satisfactory, and for a
little time it would subsist on its past reputation. But that mysterious
asset the tone had lowered, and it was therefore of great importance
that Mr. Annison's successor should be a first-class man. Mr. Coates,
who came next in seniority, was passed over, and rightly. The choice lay
between Mr. Pembroke and Mr. Jackson, the one an organizer, the other a
humanist. Mr. Jackson was master of the Sixth, and--with the exception
of the headmaster, who was too busy to impart knowledge--the only
first-class intellect in the school. But he could not or rather would
not, keep order. He told his form that if it chose to listen to him it
would learn; if it didn't, it wouldn't. One half listened. The other
half made paper frogs, and bored holes in the raised map of Italy with
their penknives. When the penknives gritted he punished them with undue
severity, and then forgot to make them show the punishments up. Yet out
of this chaos two facts emerged. Half the boys got scholarships at
the University, and some of them--including several of the paper-frog
sort--remained friends with him throughout their lives. Moreover, he was
rich, and had a competent wife. His claim to Dunwood House was stronger
than one would have supposed.

The qualifications of Mr. Pembroke have already been indicated. They
prevailed--but under conditions. If things went wrong, he must promise
to resign.

"In the first place," said the headmaster, "you are doing so splendidly
with the day-boys. Your attitude towards the parents is magnificent.
I--don't know how to replace you there. Whereas, of course, the parents
of a boarder--"

"Of course," said Mr. Pembroke.

The parent of a boarder, who only had to remove his son if he was
discontented with the school, was naturally in a more independent
position than the parent who had brought all his goods and chattels to
Sawston, and was renting a house there.

"Now the parents of boarders--this is my second point--practically
demand that the house-master should have a wife."

"A most unreasonable demand," said Mr. Pembroke.

"To my mind also a bright motherly matron is quite sufficient. But that
is what they demand. And that is why--do you see?--we HAVE to regard
your appointment as experimental. Possibly Miss Pembroke will be able
to help you. Or I don't know whether if ever--" He left the sentence
unfinished. Two days later Mr. Pembroke proposed to Mrs. Orr.

He had always intende