"No," replied Mrs Hazlitt with decision. "That I do not allow. Were I to accede to Penelope's wish, the same request would be presented to me by each of my pupils. The girls will especially require their night's rest after the excitement of the day. I don't know anything about Miss Brenda, but I am quite willing to invite her here as Penelope's relation, only she cannot sleep in the house." "I will speak to Penelope and tell her what you say," remarked Miss Duke. She moved away rather sadly. She was fully convinced, in spite of herself, that there was something not quite right in the school, but not for worlds would she give hint to Mrs Hazlitt with regard to the matter. She found Penelope, as usual, surrounded by some of the younger girls. She dismissed them with a playful word and then, taking her pupil's hand, led her into the oak parlour where such a serious conversation had taken place between herself and the headmistress. "What in the world is it, Deborah?" said Penelope. She had a sort of defiant manner in these days--quite different from her old way which, although languid, provokingly so at times, was at least downright and matter-of-fact. "What is it?" she said. "Why are you so mysterious?" "I thought you wanted your sister to come to see the tableaux." "Oh, Brenda--yes, she says she will come; I heard from her only this morning. Is Mrs Hazlitt agreeable?" "Quite agreeable." "And may she share my room and bed?" "That is just the point that I want to speak to you about, Penelope. She may not do so. Mrs Hazlitt's ideas on that subject are quite fixed and cannot by any possibility be altered. If your sister comes, we must find a room for her in the village." "It doesn't much matter whether she comes or not," said Penelope, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't suppose she will care to go to the expense of a room in the village. She is very young too, and can't sleep alone at a hotel." "But you would like her to see you as Helen of Troy?" "Like it!" said Penelope--"yes, perhaps I should. I hate the whole thing as I never hated anything in all my life before, but it might be a sort of satisfaction to have Brenda there. I'd do a good deal--yes, a good deal for Brenda; but I don't think she will stay in the village." "You want to write to her to-day about it, don't you?" "I may as well write to-day. She is making her plans; she is going to the seaside with her pupils, but could come to me on her way. But don't let us fuss about it, please. I don't really--greatly care." "But _I_ care that you should have pleasure," said little Miss Duke. "You know well how much I care. Wait a second until I get the time-table." She flew out of the room, returning in a few minutes with a Bradshaw. By dint of careful searching, she discovered that a train could be found which would take Miss Brenda Carlton back to her rectory about midnight on the day of the break-up. Penelope condescended to seem pleased.