“Polly!” Miss Crilly was on the floor, hugging her knee.

“I’m here!” laughed Polly.

“Do you know anything that will scare away a double chin?”

“Yes, I do!”

“Oh, jolly!  What is it?”

“I’d like to hear about that!” spoke up Miss Castlevaine.

Polly thought a moment.

“You’ll have to lie down—­flat on your back—­no, you go over on the bed, Miss Castlevaine, and I’ll tell you how to do it.”

“Don’t get up, Mis’ Albright!” cried Miss Crilly.  “I can learn how here just as well!” She lay back, her eyes on Polly.

“I’ll put this pillow right under your shoulders—­so.  Now throw your head—­”

A sharp rap halted the sentence.  Mrs. Albright sat up.  The door was flung open before Polly reached it.

“Ladies! what does this mean?” Miss Sniffen stood there, resolute and merciless.

Nobody answered.

Miss Twining and Miss Lily began hurriedly to gather up their disheveled hair.  Miss Castlevaine arose haughtily.  Polly’s tongue was quickest to recover itself.

“I was only teaching the ladies some exercises to make them strong.  We are not doing any harm, Miss Sniffen.”

“I infer that it makes them stronger to pull their hair down.”  The tone was smoothly sarcastic.

“Oh, that!” returned Polly, with a tiny smile; “I’ve been telling them how to massage the scalp, so as to make their hair grow.”

“Very necessary, indeed!  And I suppose their hair grows faster if they stretch themselves out upon the bed and the floor!  I’m ashamed of you!”

“Oh, Miss Sniffen!” protested Polly, “you have to lie down to take these exercises!  The book says so!”

“Book!” snapped the angry voice; “I’ll book you all for what you won’t like if I ever catch you in such unladylike postures again!  You must be in your second childhood!  Now march to your rooms, every one of you!” She waved her hand peremptorily toward the doorway, and the culprits filed meekly past her—­all but Miss Castlevaine.  She walked with stately step and head held high, as became the great-granddaughter of a duchess.

“I think you would better go home now, you have worked mischief enough for one day!” She addressed Polly in a slightly mollified tone.

“Why, Miss Sniffen, I can’t see what harm there is in trying to get well and strong.  I should think you’d like the ladies to be better.  Father and mother think these exercises are fine!  Mother’s Grandaunt Susie told us about them.  They made her as good as new!”

“We won’t discuss the matter,” replied the superintendent in a hard voice.  “You need not remain to talk it over with Miss Sterling.”

“I’m going—­right now!” Polly caught up her coat.

“Good-bye, Miss Nita!” She swept past Miss Sniffen with a curt bow.

The door tight shut, Juanita Sterling fisted the air in the direction of the departing superintendent.  Then she drooped her head and sobbed.