"Certainly not. It is very improper," said Miss Meeks, with sharp decision. "I wonder at you, Miss Stanfield—that is, I should if it were any one else. Pray, did your aunt give you leave to take her working-case and bring it to school?" "It is not my aunt's working-case, that I know of, and I did not mean to bring it to school," returned Calista; answering sharpness with sharpness, and certainly speaking not very respectfully. "Yes, that is very likely," sneered Antoinette. "And if Antoinette thinks it so very improper to carry a working-case belonging to somebody else, I think it rather singular she should be so anxious to borrow this one to carry down to Graywich—that is, I should if it were any one else," added Calista, with a very successful imitation of Miss Meeks's manner. "Miss Stanfield, you are very impertinent. I shall report you." "Eh, what! What is the matter?" asked Miss McPherson herself, who had a habit of suddenly appearing where she was least expected. "The matter is, ma'am, that Miss Stanfield is insolent and disobedient, as usual," said Miss Meek; in a tone and manner of irritability so disproportioned to the occasion that Calista looked at her in surprise. The poor lady's lips were white, and the drops stood on her forehead. "How is that?" asked Miss McPherson. "Miss Stanfield has brought to school a valuable working-case of her aunt's, as I understand without leave; and when I reproved her, she not only answered me back, but actually mimicked me to my face," said Miss Meeks, in a voice which shook so she could hardly articulate. "How is that, Calista?" "I will tell you all about it, Miss McPherson," said Calista, recovering herself a little, but still very angry. "I found this case in a drawer with some old rubbish, yesterday, and I put it in my pocket without looking at it very much; I thought I would ask Miss Druett if I might use it, because I have no scissors of my own. But she was not at home; and when she did come, my aunt was very unwell, and several other things happened, which, altogether, put the case out of my head, and I forgot I had it. I found it in my pocket, just now, and Antoinette wanted to borrow it to take down to Graywich with her when she went to spend Saturday and Sunday. I told her it was not mine and I could not lend it. Then she said she would not carry about valuables which did not belong to her, and appealed to Miss Meeks, who found fault with me, as usual. That is the whole story." Miss McPherson looked seriously displeased, and her displeasure fell, to begin with, in an unexpected quarter. Antoinette knew how particular was Miss McPherson in exacting respectful treatment towards her subordinates, and particularly towards Miss Meeks, and she waited with ill-concealed satisfaction to hear what would be said to Calista. As it was, however, the principal's first words were addressed to herself.