It seemed to the girls the entire session would be given up to apologies and “love feasts,” but when Tavia arose there was a decided murmur through the room.

“Fluffy!” whispered the girl in the very last seat referring to Tavia’s fancy dress.

“Full bloom!” said another, meaning that the pink and white dress put the “Tiger Lily,” as they called Tavia, in full bloom.

But these remarks had no effect on Tavia.

“I believe,” she began bravely, “that I was the real cause of the trouble.  I did swing Sarah too high, I was angry about Memorial Day, and blamed her for taking Dorothy’s place.  I am very sorry.”

At that moment a man appeared at the door.  It was Squire Sanders!

In he tramped, his cane beating a formidable march in advance of his steps, and his green-black hat kept on his head making a poor show of his manners in a girls’ schoolroom.

“I just come in to settle up that little matter of the Ford girl,” he drawled.  “I see you’ve got that wild harum-scarum Travers’ girl back again.”

“The matter has been settled.”  Miss Ellis interrupted.

“Has, eh?  Well, I’ve not been notified to that effect and I continue my services until I am officially notified to quit,” he announced, bringing his cane down in a “full stop.”

How odious his presence was in the room at that moment.  Tavia’s face crimsoned when he referred to her as a “harum-scarum” and only a warning look from Dorothy kept her from replying to his insult.

“I think, Squire Sanders,” said Miss Ellis, “that Mr. and Mrs. Ford are satisfied the affair was an accident.  It was a misunderstanding—­ blaming the pupils.”

“Accident or no accident, that’s no account to me.  I’m on this case, and I intend to see it through.”

“Mean old thing!” said one girl, somewhat above a whisper, “he just wants the fine.  Let’s chase him!”

It was quite evident more than one girl felt like “chasing” the obnoxious squire, but he held his ground and continued to punctuate his impolite remarks with that noisy cane.

“I want to see Octavia Travers at my office,” he announced, “and I want her to come right along with me now!”

“Squire Sanders!” cried Miss Ellis, shocked and alarmed.  “I cannot and will not permit you to take a pupil from this room!”

“Oh, you won’t eh?” the squire looked more unpleasantly than ever.  “Well, I’d like to see you stop me!  Perhaps you would like to give up your job here?  There’s more after it, and some knows more about the ways of keeping wild girls down than Rachel Ellis does, too.  I would advise you not to interfere with an officer.  Come along, Miss Travers.”

“She will not!” called out Alice.  “My father is a town committeeman and I know something about the laws of Dalton.  Show us your warrant!”

This was a surprise to Squire Sanders.  He never expected his authority would be questioned—­and by a mere schoolgirl.