What did Mrs.Arnold mean?
Surely not----?
A sudden thought had flashed into her mind but she thrust it away indignantly.

Oh no, that was quite impossible! It was outrageous of anybody to make the suggestion.

And yet--and yet--the uneasy voice that had been haunting her for the last four days began to speak with even more vehemence.

With a sigh of relief she heard the signal given for "Attention", and cast the matter away from her for the moment.

Every eye was fixed on their leader.