Primrose Mainwaring has disappointed me deeply; she showed undue temper when I spoke to her here the other day--oh yes, this thing must be prevented by main force, if necessary." Miss Martineau's pupils could not imagine what was the matter with her that morning.

She was known to be a most strict disciplinarian, she was reported to have the sharpest eyes, and the quickest ears; her pupils believed that nothing ever could pass Miss Martineau's observation; nevertheless, after Mrs.Ellsworthy's visit she was _distrait_, she was indifferent to mistakes, and she allowed her naughtiest and most troublesome scholar to gabble through her French translation without once correcting her.

School over, Miss Martineau discovered that she had no appetite for her dinner; she left quite a nice little repast, cooked in French style, untasted on the table, and hurrying up to her bedroom, put on her mantle and poke bonnet and went out.

She had made up her mind to visit the Mainwarings, and to expostulate with these headstrong and naughty girls on their daring scheme.

"Wicked, I call it," she ejaculated many times under her breath!--"a wicked scheme, wicked, and a tempting of Providence.