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 But Miss Hayes was made of sterner stuff. "But I'm afraid you'll have to be interrupted, Mr. Bevans," she put in. "Saturday is a favorite day with parents, and several of them are coming this morning."

"Oh, parents!" said Austin, lightly. "I can't allow them to waste my time. Miss Curtis will interview them, as usual."

Miss Curtis wrung her hands. "I can't, I really can't, Mr. Bevans," she cried. "They make me feel so guilty—especially that horrid Mrs. McLane, who scolds about everything. Not parents—anything but parents."

"Why, it's quite simple, Miss Curtis," said Austin, soothingly. "All you have to say is 'Your daughter is an unusual girl, but then we did not expect your child to be commonplace.' That's all."

Miss Hayes laughed. "It's a good phrase, Mr. Bevans," she said, "but I'm afraid you'll have to speak it yourself. Parents regard it as their inalienable right to talk over their problems with the head of the school. You will lose valuable pupils if you refuse."

Austin, knowing that she was right, yielded, only demanding the letter-files