The Christmas term-end festivities tired Miss Tatham out. For a long time she had not been strong, and had been struggling to keep up with the hundred and one duties expected from the principal of a big school. During the holidays she collapsed, and her doctor insisted upon several months' entire rest. The governors of the school, called in committee to face the sudden emergency, appointed a locum tenens to rule in her stead for a term. Miss Ormerod, who thus came in a hurry to fill up the gap, was a B.A., and had had high school experience--too much so, the girls decided after a few days of her acquaintance. She was one of those people who are clever, but tactless. She had passed any number of examinations with flying colours, but had no knowledge of human souls. From the very first she set everybody's bristles rising. The teachers, accustomed to Miss Tatham's personal magnetism, were put out by abrupt criticisms and lack of consideration, while the girls declared that a gorgon had been sent to reign over them. Miss Ormerod, to do her strict justice, was hardworking and conscientious. She never spared herself. It was a difficult post, and she filled it according to her own lights. If she found what she judged slackness she was doing her duty to correct it. But between a "wise administrator" and a "jack-in-office" there is all the difference in the world. Some women love power, and exercise it unmercifully. Woe betide the lesser planets that are forced to circle in their orbits. The school, accustomed to discipline, obeyed, but grumbled under its breath. "Miss Tatham never made any silly rules about not talking in the hall," declared Kathleen indignantly, coming into the Sixth Form room smarting from a sharp rebuke and confiding her woes to a sympathetic circle. "No! It's perfectly ridiculous. We must talk somewhere, I suppose." "We shall be having 'Silence' in the cloakroom next." "Or in the playground." "I wish darling Tatie was back." "You didn't call her 'darling' when she was here." "Well, I do now." "Miss Ormerod's as hard as nails." "I want to call her 'ramrod' myself." "Oh, don't be clever, please." "She blinks and winks through those spectacles." "Don't you _hate_ spectacles?" "And there's a little sort of grate in her voice, and then she clears her throat, and you know she's going to say something unpleasant." "I meant to like her," declared Ernie thoughtfully. "I came to school on her first day prepared to adore her. I think it was because I once knew a Miss Ormerod who was very pretty. Well, I tell you, directly I saw her I got a shock. I thought I had never seen anyone so horrid in my life. I felt we were opposite poles. I don't know when I took such an intense dislike to anybody. It's what you call an 'antipathy'." "Not 'love at first sight' exactly!" "Hardly!" "'I do not love you, Dr. Fell, The reason why I cannot tell!'" quoted Calla.