punished."
There was no answer from Harriet, whose eyes were fixed on the ground.
"You may be thankful, too," continued Mr Durrant, "for the painfulevents of this day. Had things not turned out as they have, you mighthave got the post you so coveted, and where it would have ended--Godonly knows! Do not interrupt me by speaking: I have always known yourcharacter, although I did not dare, even to myself, say what I fearedabout it. You would not have been, even in the most ordinary sense, agood school-mother to Ralph: you would not even have been kind to him,for you never really loved him. You would both have been miserable;you, who only saw your own aggrandisement, would not have taken anytrouble for my little son, and as you have no idea at present of truthand honour, you would but have stepped deeper into the mire. Bethankful that you have not gone further, and that you have been pulledup in your wicked ways in time. It is not my place to say anything toMrs Burton, or you would be expelled from the school. With regard toyour school life, I have nothing to say, and you will in all probabilityreturn to Abbeyfield at the end of the holidays. Make the best of yourchance, and pray to God to soften your heart.
"As to poor little Jane, your victim, I myself shall take steps to haveher removed to another school. She must not be subject to the chance ofyour cruelty after her confession of to-day. You can leave me, now,Harriet. I commit you to God's mercy, and trust that you may repent ofyour evil ways. The carriage which was to convey Robina Starling to therailway station will take you there, and the escort which was to conducther home will take you instead to your home. Good-bye. I cannot shakehands with you: nevertheless, I earnestly pray and hope that you willrepent in the best sense of the word."
Harriet left the room with her head bowed down. Mr Durrant waiteduntil she had gone. Then he rang the bell. A servant appeared.
"Tell Mrs Martin that she is to take Miss Harriet Lane instead of MissRobina Starling," was his order. "Tell her to see that a comfortableluncheon basket is packed and on no account to lose the next train."Accordingly, a few minutes later it was Harriet Lane and not RobinaStarling who left Sunshine Lodge. The three Amberley girls and the twoChetwolds watched her as she departed. They were standing in a clusterin a bay window and holding each other's hands tightly and feeling--notat all triumphant, but very, very sad; and Jane Bush was crying in acorner with her head buried in a cushion.
Just then, Mr Durrant entered the room.
"Cheer up, girls; cheer up!" he said. "A marvellous and very wonderfulthing has happened to-day. Harriet Lane has left us, and we cannotregret it. I have written a line to her father who will receive her, Ibelieve, not unkindly. You girls, who will meet her at the school,will, I am certain, do your utmost to help her to retrieve the past. Asfar as Ralph and I are concerned, she has gone as completely out of ourlives as dear Robina wanted to go when I met her to-day beforebreakfast.
"Now, Jane Bush; I mean to take you in hand. You are not a good childby any means, but I think you have the making of one, and I know aschool where you can be well and happily educated; and I mean to makeenquiries about your little brother and sister and,--who knows? butMiriam may be allowed to join you later on at the same school. Anyhow,it is best for you and Harriet not to be together at present. And nowplease, all the rest of you, come back immediately to the study, for theelection of the school-mother has not yet taken place."
They all followed Mr Durrant back again to the same room. The windowswere wide open, and the delicious autumn air, all fragrant with flowersand sunshine, was coming in, and there, standing close together, his armaround her waist, his hand clasping hers, was that small boy, who seemedto divide the attributes of a fairy boy and a human boy in all his waysand thoughts and doings. And there was Robina, the colour in hercheeks, and the light in her eyes.
"Ralph's school-mother. Congratulate her and Ralph," said Mr Durrant.
"Oh! how glad I am!" said Patience.
"And how glad we all are!" cried the others, even Jane Bush joining inthe chorus.
So Robina was surrounded by her companions; and so the clouds rolledaway and the sun came truly out once more at Sunshine Lodge.
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The End.
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