“Upon that point,” observed Mr. Lorimer, “I am the best judge.  The children will be punished as severely as I deem necessary.  Meantime, you quite understand, do you not, that your duties here must terminate a month from now?  I am only sorry that I allowed myself to be persuaded to reconsider my decision on the last occasion.  For more than one reason I think it is to be regretted.  However,—­” he completed the sentence with a heavy sigh and said no more.

It was evident that he desired to close the interview, yet Avery lingered.  She could not go with the children’s fate still in the balance.

He looked at her interrogatively with raised brows.

“You will not surely punish the children very severely?” she said.

He waved a hand of cool dismissal.  “I shall do whatever seems to me right and advisable,” he said.

It came to Avery that interference on this subject would do more harm than good, and she turned to go.  At the door his voice arrested her.  “This day month then, Mrs. Denys!”

She bent her head in silent acquiescence, and went out.

In the passage Gracie awaited her and wound eager arms about her.

“Was he very horrid to you, Avery darling?  What did he say?”

Avery went with her to the schoolroom where the other offenders were assembled.  It seemed to her almost cruel to attempt to suppress the truth, but their reception of it went to her heart.  Jeanie—­the placid, sweet-tempered Jeanie—­wept tears of such anguished distress that she feared she would make herself ill.  Gracie was too angry to weep.  She wanted to go straight to the study and beard the lion in his den, and only Avery’s most strenuous opposition restrained her.  And into the midst of their tribulation came Mrs. Lorimer to mingle her tears with theirs.

“What I shall do without you, Avery, I can’t think,” was the burden of her lament.

Avery couldn’t think either, for she knew better even than Mrs. Lorimer herself how much the latter had come to lean upon her.

She had to turn her energies to comforting her disconsolate companions, but this task was still unaccomplished when the door opened and the Vicar stalked in upon them.

He observed his wife’s presence with cold displeasure, and at once proceeded to dismiss her.

“I desire your presence in the study for a few moments, Adelaide.  Perhaps you will be kind enough to precede me thither.”

He held the door open for her with elaborate ceremony, and Mrs. Lorimer had no choice but to obey.  She departed with a scared effort to check her tears under the stern disapproval of his look.

He closed the door upon her and advanced to the table, gazing round upon them with judicial severity.

“I am here,” he announced, “to pass sentence.”

Jeanie, crying softly in her corner, made desperate attempts to control herself under the awful look that was at this point concentrated upon her.