04 The Head Girl of the Chalet School by Elinor Brent-Dyer Page B

it was over, the girls went off together for a chat, and the Robin, who was sleepy, was tucked up on the sofa to take a nap. Frau Mensch had some household tasks to see to, so she went out, leaving the other two together after excusing herself. She had barely closed the door behind her when Madge Russell turned eagerly to the other. “Mollie! What is the matter? What happened at Basle?
    I’m sure something did, or you would never have come off so suddenly. Why on earth did you go to Schaffhausen at this time of year? I got the shock of my life when I got your wire from there saying you were coming back at once. And what is wrong with Grizel? Has she been doing anything she ought not?”
    Miss Maynard frowned. “It’s difficult to tell you, my dear. Yes, Grizel has been as mad as usual. I thought she was cured of wanting to go off on expeditions of her own, but evidently she isn’t. As for Schaffhausen, it was her doing we went there. The monkey ran away to see the Falls of Rhine yesterday morning without saying anything about where she was going, though she and Joey had had a battle royal over it the night before. At least, as far as I can gather, that’s what happened. Jo seems to think that it was partly her fault that Grizel went off as she did. I don’t know. There may be some truth in it. She’s not exactly tactful on occasion. It’s quite possible she did say things that put Grizel’s back up. At the same time, Grizel has no excuse for going off as she did. If it hadn’t been for what Jo was able to tell me, I shouldn’t have known where she had gone. Then, when she was half-way there, the silly child seems to have repented, and turned back – without wiring to let us know that she was returning. The result was that I packed up and took the other two off to Schaffhausen to seek her, and was met on the platform by a wire from Frau Betts saying that Grizel was there, and asking what they were to do. I wired them to send her on by the next train. She was very penitent, I must say, and has behaved very well since then. But honestly, my dear, I think we shall have to reconsider making her head-girl. It seems to be impossible to place the smallest reliance on her.”
    Madge sighed. “Poor child! That’s what’s wrong with her, of course. She’s dreading being degraded. I can’t decide yet; Mollie; it’s altogether too big a thing. And it’s quite true that Jo can be horribly tactless when she is roused. I wish I knew what to do!” She got up, and began to pace backwards and forwards.
    Miss Maynard watched her. She saw the difficulties, of course; but she was not blessed with much imagination, and she did not know Grizel so well as the ex-Head did. To her way of thinking, it would be very unwise to risk having such a girl as head-girl of the school. “It’s hard luck on Grizel,” she agreed; “but what else are you to do?”
    “I can try her again,” said Mrs. Russell briefly.
    “My dear, how often have we done that already? Grizel has always been a problem. It seems to be the most difficult thing in the world for her to submit to authority! And this isn’t the first time she’s run away to gratify her own self-will, remember!”
    “The trouble with Grizel is that she had far too much authority over her for four years. The second Mrs.
    Cochrane always resented her existence, you know, and she scarcely allowed the child to call her soul her own. I think it’s that which makes her difficult at times now; and when I’m tempted to be angry with her, and deal strictly with her I remember that. It’s often the only way I’ve been able to make allowances for her.”
    “But other children are made to be obedient,” Miss Maynard reminded her. “Where would you find parents expect more unquestioning obedience than with the Maranis? The Mensches are pretty strict, but Gisela and Maria have been taught the most unquestioning and absolute obedience. And it’s the same with most of our girls – the