Miss Hill realized, with a protest at the unfairness of the situation, that to face this elegant lady, so smiling, so suave, so worldly, so graciously superior, and to tell her some unpleasant truths about her daughter, was a task by no means easy, and one almost sure to prove futile.  But Miss Hill never shirked her duty, and after all, her motive was a hope to help Bessy.

“Mrs. Bell, I’ve come on a matter of importance,” began Miss Hill.  “But it is so delicate a one I don’t know how to broach it.  I believe plain speaking best.”

Here Miss Hill went into detail, sparing not to call a spade a spade.  But she held back the names of the young society gentlemen mentioned in the notes.  Miss Hill was not sure of her ground there and her revelation was grave enough for any intelligent mother.

“Really, Miss Hill, you amaze me!” exclaimed Mrs. Bell.  “Bessie has fallen into bad company.  Oh, these public schools!  I never attended one, but I’ve heard what they are.”

“The public schools are not to blame,” replied Miss Hill, bluntly.

Mrs. Bell gave her visitor a rather supercilious stare.

“May I ask you to explain?”

“I’m afraid I can’t explain,” replied Miss Hill, conscious of a little heat.  “I’ve proofs of the condition.  But as I can’t understand it, how can I explain?  I have my own peculiar ideas, only, lately, I’ve begun to doubt them.  A year or so ago I would have said girls had their own way too much—­too much time to themselves—­too much freedom.  But now I seem to feel life isn’t like what it was a few years ago.  Girls are bound to learn.  And they never learn at home, that’s sure.  The last thing a mother will do is to tell her daughter what she ought to know.  There’s always been a shadow between most mothers and daughters.  And in these days of jazz it has become a wall.  Perhaps that’s why girls don’t confide in their mothers....  Mrs. Bell, I considered it my duty to acquaint you with the truth about these verses and notes, and what they imply.  Would you care to read some of them?”

“Thank you, but they wouldn’t interest me in the least,” replied Mrs. Bell, coldly.  “I wouldn’t insult Bessy or her girl friends.  I imagine it’s all some risque suggestion overheard and made much of or a few verses mischievously plagiarized.  I’m no prude, Miss Hill.  I know enough not to be strict, which is apparently the fault of the school system.  As for my own daughter I understand her perfectly and trust her implicitly.  I know the blood in her.  And I shall remove her from public school and place her in a private institution under a tutor, where she’ll no longer be exposed to contaminating influences....  I thank you for your intention, which I’m sure is kind—­and, will you please excuse me?  I must dress for my bridge party.  Good afternoon, Miss Hill.”

The schoolteacher plodded homeward, her eyes downcast and sad.  The snub given her by the mother had not hurt her as had the failure to help the daughter.