"
CHAPTER XVIII
In Deborah's school, in the meantime, affairs had drawn to a climax. The
moment had come for the city to say whether her new experiment should be
dropped the following year or allowed to go on and develop. There came a
day of sharp suspense when Deborah's friends and enemies on the Board of
Education sat down to discuss and settle her fate. They were at it for
several hours, but late in the afternoon they decided not only to let her
go on the next year but to try her idea in four other schools and place her
in charge with ample funds. The long strain came to an end at last in a
triumph beyond her wildest hopes; when the news arrived she relaxed, grew
limp, and laughed and cried a little. And her father felt her tremble as he
held her a moment in his arms.
"Now, Baird," he thought, "your chance has come. For God's sake, take it
while it's here!"
But in place of Baird that afternoon came men and women from the press, and
friends and fellow workers. The door-bell and the telephone kept ringing
almost incessantly. Why couldn't they leave her a moment's peace? Roger
buried himself in his study. Later, when he was called to dinner, he found
that Allan was there, too, but at first the conversation was all upon
Deborah's victory. Flushed with success, for the moment engrossed in the
wider field she saw ahead, she had not a thought for anything else. But
after dinner the atmosphere changed.
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