Ethel, an old and successful pupil of that distinguished lady, had been carried off to tea by her at the end of the proceedings. And Miss Heber-Knollys had expressed herself as a little disappointed. She was sure the Girl Scouts had been so looking forward to having the Mayoress with them that afternoon; at any rate, Miss Heber-Knollys had, although of course she had no pretensions to speak for the Girl Scouts; but speaking as a public, a semi-public woman of Blackhampton, although born in Kent and educated at Girham, speaking therefore, as a quasi-public and naturalized woman of Blackhampton with an M.A. degree, she looked to the Mayoress to take a strong lead in all matters relating to the many-sided activities of the City's feminine life. Ethel quite saw that. And she now proceeded fully and pointedly to report Miss Heber-Knollys for the future guidance of her father, the admonition of her mother and for the confusion and general undoing of the designing Gertrude. Mrs. Doctor Cockburn was far from realizing the critical nature of the moment at which she had chanced to arrive, but the general effect of her presence was just as stimulating as if she had. The lawful Mayoress was in sore need of mental and moral support if she was to prevail against the Schemer. Ethel was in the nick of time, but yet it was by no means certain that she was not too late to keep Gerty from the Floral Hall. The Floral Hall would depend on Doctor Tremlett, bluntly remarked Josiah. "Doctor Tremlett!" said Mrs. Doctor Cockburn sternly. "Your man has got the sack." The Mayor indulged in an obvious wink at Gerty who was looking as if butter would not melt in her mouth. "But," said the horrified Ethel, "there's no comparison between Horace and Doctor Tremlett. Horace belongs to the modern school; Doctor Tremlett's an old fossil." "Your Ma seems to think Doctor Tremlett understands her," said Josiah bluntly. "And Doctor Tremlett says she's got to be very careful of her heart or she'll have to lie up and have a trained nurse." "But Horace declares there is nothing the matter with it." "That's where Horace don't know his business as well as Doctor Tremlett. Your Ma has got to be very careful, indeed, and I'm going to arrange with Aylett for her to have a deputy for the whole of the coming year. You see if anything happened to her she'd _have_ to have a deputy, so it may be wise to take steps beforehand." "Nonsense, Father! Horace says there's nothing the matter with her. He says it's stage fright. You ought not to encourage her. Certainly it isn't right that Gerty should be taking her place. Miss Heber-Knollys says it may make a bad impression." "Don't know, I'm sure, what business it is of hers." His worship spoke with considerable asperity. "Besides, if any one must deputize, surely it should be me."