er——seekingnothingto-day，butifyouwillkindly——er——servemyWARD——MissStannard！“Later，whentheywentintotheconfectioner’sforrefreshment，andPansyfranklydeclaredfor“icecreamandcreamcakes，“insteadofthe“dishofteaandbreadandbutter“hehadorderedinpursuanceofhispromise，heheroicallytookithimself——tosatisfyhishonor。Indeed，IknowofnomoresublimefigurethanColonelStarbottle——risingsuperiortoalong-
withstoodcravingfora“cocktail，“morbidlyconsciousalsooftheridiculousnessofhisappearancetoanyofhisoldassociateswhomightseehim——drinkingluke-warmteaandpeckingfeeblyathisbreadandbutteratasmalltable，besidehislittletyrant。
Andthisdominationofthehelplesscontinuedontheirwayhome。
AlthoughMissPansynolongertalkedofherself，shewasequallyvolubleininquiryastothecolonel’shabits，waysoflife，friendsandacquaintances，happilyrestrictingherinterrogations，inregardtothoseofherownsex，to“anyLITTLEgirlsthatheknew。“Savedbythisexoneratingadjective，thecolonelsawhereachancetoindulgehispostponedmonitorialduty，aswellashisvividimagination。Heaccordinglydrewelaboratepicturesofimpossiblechildrenhehadknown——creaturespreciseinlanguageanddress，abstinentofplayandconfectionery，devotedtolessonsandduties，andotherwise，inPansy’sownwords，“loathsometothelastdegree！“As“daughtersofoldestandmostcherishedfriends，“theymightperhapshaveexcitedPansy’schildishjealousybutforthesingularfactthattheyhadalllongagobeenrewardedbymarriagewithsenators，judges，andgenerals——alsoassociatesofthecolonel。Thisremotenessofpresencesomewhatmarredtheireffectasanexample，andthecolonelwasmortified，thoughnotentirelydispleased，toobservethattheirsurprisingvirtuesdidnotdestroyPansy’svoracityforsweets，therecklessnessofherskipping，northefreedomofherlanguage。Thecolonelwasremorseful——buthappy。
Whentheyreachedtheseminaryagain，Pansyretiredwithhervariouspurchases，butreappearedafteranintervalwithMissTish。
“Iremember，“hesitatedthatlady，tremblingunderthefascinationofthecolonel’sprofoundbow，“thatyouwereanxioustolookovertheschool，andalthoughitwasnotpossiblethen，Ishallbegladtoshowyounowthroughoneoftheclassrooms。“
Thecolonel，glancingatPansy，wasmomentarilyshockedbyadistortionofonesideofherface，whichseemed，however，toendinawinkofherinnocentbrowneyes，butrecoveringhimself，gallantlyexpressedhisgratitude。Thenextmomenthewasascendingthestairs，sidebysidewithMissTish，andhadadistinctimpressionthathehadbeenpinchedinthecalfbyPansy，whowasfollowingclosebehind。
Itwasrecess，butthelargeclassroomwasquitefilledwithpupils，manyofthemolderandprettiergirls，inveigledthere，asitafterwardsappeared，byPansy，insomeprecociouspresentimentofherguardian’staste。Thecolonel’sapologeticyetgallantbowonentering，andhiserect，old-fashionedelegance，instantlytooktheirdelightedattention。Indeed，allwouldhavegonewellhadnotMissPrinkwell，withtheviewofimpressingthecolonelaswellasherpupils，majesticallyintroducedhimas“adistinguishedjuristdeeplyinterestedinthecauseofeducation，aswellasguardianoftheirfellowpupil。“ThatopportunitywasnotthrownawayonColonelStarbottle。
Steppinguptothedeskoftheastoundedprincipal，helaidthepointsofhisfingersdelicatelyuponit，and，withapreparatoryinclinationofhisheadtowardsher，placedhisotherhandinhisbreast，andwithaninvocatoryglanceattheceiling，began。
Itwasthecolonel’shabitatsuchmomentstostateatfirst，withgreatcareandprecision，thethingsthathe“wouldnotsay，“thathe“NEEDnotsay，“andapparentlythatitwasabsolutelyunnecessaryeventoalludeto。Itwastherefore，notstrangethatthecolonelinformedthemthatheneednotsaythathecountedhispresentprivilegeamongthehighestthathadbeengrantedhim；forbesidestheprivilegeofbeholdingthegalaxyofyouthfultalentandexcellencebeforehim，besidestheprivilegeofbeingsurroundedbyagarlandoftheblossomsoftheschoolinalltheirfreshnessandbeauty，itwaswellunderstoodthathehadthegreaterprivilegeof——er——standinginlocoparentistooneoftheseblossoms。Itwasnotforhimtoalludetothehightrustimposeduponhimby——er——deceasedandcherishedfriend，anddaughterofoneofthefirstfamiliesofVirginia，bythesideofonewhomustfeelthatshewastherecipientoftrustsequallysupremeherethecolonelpaused，andstatuesquelyregardedthealarmedMissPrinkwellasifhewereindoubtofit，buthewouldsaythatitshouldbeHISdevotedmissiontochampiontherightsoftheorphanedandinnocentwheneverandwherevertheoccasionarose，againstallodds，andeveninthefaceofmisguidedauthority。
HavinglefttheimpressionthatMissPrinkwellcontemplatedaninvasionofthoserights，thecolonelbecamemorelenientandgenial。Hefullyrecognizedherhighandnobleoffice；hesawinhertheworthysuccessorofthosetwofamousinstructressesofAthens——thoseGreekladies——er——whosenameshadescapedhismemory，butwhich——er——nodoubtMissPrinkwellwouldbegladtorecalltoherpupils，withsomeaccountoftheirlives。MissPrinkwellcolored；shehadneverheardofthembefore，andeventhedelightoftheclassinthecolonel’striumphwasalittledampenedbythisprospectofhearingmoreaboutthem。Butthecolonelwasonlytoocontentwithseeingbeforehimthesebrightandbeautifulfaces，destined，ashefirmlybelieved，inafteryearstolendtheircharmandeffulgencetothehighestplacesasthehappyhelpmeetsofthegreatestintheland。Hewas——er——leavinga——er——slighttestimonialofhisregardintheformofsome——er——innocentrefreshmentsinthehandsofhisward，whowould——er——actas——er——
hisproxyintheirdistribution；andthecolonelsatdowntotheflutterofhandkerchiefs，anapplauseonlyhalfrestrained，andtheutterdemoralizationofMissPrinkwell。
Butthetimeofhisdeparturehadcomebythistime，andhewastooexperiencedapublicmantoriskthepossibilityofananticlimaxbyprotractinghisleave-taking。AndinanominousshiningofPansy’sbigeyesasthetimeapproachedhefeltanembarrassmentasperplexingastheoddpresentimentoflonelinessthatwascreepingoverhim。Butwithanelaboratecautionastothedangersofself-
indulgence，andtheprivatebestowalofalargegoldpieceslippedintoherhand，apromisetocomeagainsoon，andanexactionthatshewouldwritetohimoften，thecolonelreceivedinreturnawetkiss，agreatdealofwetcheekpressedagainsthisown，andamomentarytenderclinging，likethatwhichattendsthepullingupofsomesmallflower，ashepassedoutintotheporch。Inthehall，onthelandingabovehim，therewasaclosepackingofbriefskirtsagainsttherailing，andavoice，apparentlyproceedingfromapairofverysmallmottledlegsprotrudingthroughthebalusters，saiddistinctly，“FreecheersforTernelTarbottle！“Andtothisbenedictionthecolonel，hatinhand，passedoutofthisEdenintotheworldagain。
Thecolonel’snextvisittotheseminarydidnotproducethesamesensationasthefirst，althoughitwasaccompaniedwithequaldisturbancetothefairprincipals。Hadhebeenalessconceitedmanhemighthavenoticedthattheirantagonism，althoughheldinrestraintbytheirwholesomefearofhim，wasindangerofbecomingmoreaconvictionthanameresuspicion。HewasmadeawareofitthroughPansy’sresentmenttowardsthem，andherrevelationofacertaininquisitionthatshehadbeensubjectedtoinregardtohisoccupation，habits，andacquaintances。NaturallyofthesethingsPansyknewverylittle，butthishadnotpreventedherfromsayingagreatdeal。Therehadbeenenoughinherquestioners’mannertomakehersuspectthatherguardianwasbeingattacked，andtohisdefenseshebroughtthemendacityandimaginationofacleverchild。Whatshehadreallysaiddidnottranspireexceptthroughherowncommentstothecolonel:“Andofcourseyou’vekilledpeople——foryou’reakernel，youknow？“Herethecoloneladmitted，asapointoffact，thathehadservedintheMexicanwar。“AndyoukinPREACH，fortheyheardyoudoitwhenyouwasherebefore，“sheaddedconfidently；“andofcourseyouownniggers——forthere’s’Jim。’“ThecolonelhereattemptedtoexplainthatJim，beinginafreeState，wasnowafreeman，butPansysweptawaysuchfinedistinctions。“Andyou’rerich，youknow，foryougavemethatten-dollargoldpieceallformyself。
SoIjestgave’emasgoodastheysent——theoldspiesandcuriosityshops！“Thecolonel，morepleasedatPansy’sdevotionthanconcernedovertheincidentitself，acceptedthisinterpretationofhischaracterasamunificent，militantpriestwithasmilingprotest。Butalaterincidentcausedhimtorememberitmoreseriously。
TheyhadtakentheirusualstrollthroughtheAlameda，andhadmadetheroundoftheshops，wherethecolonelhadexhibitedhisusualliberalityofpurchaseandhisexaltedparentalprotection，andsohadpassedontotheirusualrefreshmentattheconfectioner’s，theusualicesandcakesforPansy，butthistime——aconcessionalsotothetyrantPansy——aglassoflemonsodaandabiscuitforthecolonel。Hewascoughingoverhisunaccustomedbeverage，andPansy，herequanimityandvolubilityrestoredbysweets，waschirrupingathisside；thelargesaloonwasfillingupwithcustomers——mainlyladiesandchildren，embarrassingtohimastheonlymanpresent，whensuddenlyPansy’sattentionwasdivertedbyanotherarrival。Itwasagood-lookingyoungwoman，overdressed，striking，andself-conscious，who，withanairofonewhowasinthehabitofchallengingattention，affectedlyseatedherselfwithamalecompanionatanemptytable，andbegantopulloffanovertightglove。
“My！“saidPansyinadmiringwonder，“ain’tshefine？“
ColonelStarbottlelookedupabstractedly，butatthefirstglancehisfaceflushedredly，deepenedtoapurple，andthenbecamegrayandstern。HehadrecognizedinthegarishfaironeMissFloraMontague，the“WesternStarofTerpsichoreandSong，“withwhomhehadsuppedafewdaysbeforeatSacramento。Theladywas“ontour“
withher“Combinationtroupe。“
ThecolonelleanedoverandfixedhismurkyeyesonPansy。“Theroomisfillingup；theplaceisstifling；Imust——er——requestyouto——er——hurry。“
Therewasachangeinthecolonel’smanner，whichthequick-wittedchildheeded。Butshehadnotassociateditwiththeentranceofthestrangers，andassheobedientlygulpeddownherice，shewentoninnocently，——
“Thatfinelady’ssmilin’andlookin’overhere。Seemstoknowyou；sodoesthemanwithher。“
“I——er——mustrequestyou，“saidthecolonel，withhuskyprecision，“NOTtolookthatway，butfinishyour——er——repast。“
Histonewassodecidedthatthechild’slipspouted，butbeforeshecouldspeakashadowleanedovertheirtable。Itwasthecompanionofthe“finelady。“
“Don’tseemtoseeus，Colonel，“hesaidwithcoarsefamiliarity，layinghishandonthecolonel’sshoulder。“Florrywantstoknowwhat’sup。“