“Ifoundtheyounglady，sir，“heremarkedtoMr。Pyecroft，“recallingmycherishedfriendStannardin——er——formandfeatures，and——although——er——personallyunacquaintedwithherdeceasedmother——whobelonged，sir，tooneofthefirstfamiliesofVirginia——Iamtoldthatsheis——er——remarkablylikeher。MissStannardisatpresentapupilinoneofthebesteducationalestablishmentsinSantaClara，wheresheisreceivingtuitionin——
　　er——theEnglishclassics，foreignbelleslettres，embroidery，theharp，and——er——theuseofthe——er——globes，and——er——blackboard——
　　underthemostfastidiouscare，andmyownpersonalsupervision。
　　Theprincipaloftheschool，MissEudoxiaTish——associatedwith——
　　er——er——MissPrinkwell——is——er——remarkablygiftedwoman；andasI
　　waspresentatoneoftheschoolexercises，Ihadtheopportunityoftestifyingtoherexcellencein——er——shortaddressImadetotheyoungladies。“FromsuchglitteringbutunsatisfyinggeneralitiesastheseIprefertoturntotherealinterview，gatheredfromcontemporarywitnesses。
　　Itwastheusualcloudless，dazzling，Californiansummerday，temperedwiththeasperityofthenorthwesttradesthatMissTish，lookingthroughherwindowtowardstherose-emboweredgatewayoftheseminary，sawanextraordinaryfigureadvancinguptheavenue。
　　Itwasthatofamanslightlypastmiddleage，yeterectandjaunty，whosecostumerecalledtheearlywater-colorportraitsofherownyouthfuldays。Histightlybuttonedbluefrockcoatwithgiltbuttonswasopenedfarenoughacrossthechesttoallowtheexpandingofafrilledshirt，blackstock，andnankeenwaistcoat，andhisimmaculatewhitetrousersweresmartlystrappedoverhissmartvarnishedboots。Awhitebell-crownedhat，carriedinhishandtopermitthewipingofhisforeheadwithasilkhandkerchief，andagold-headedwalkingstickhookedoverhisarm，completedthissingularequipment。Hewasfollowed，afewpacesintherear，byanegrocarryinganenormousbouquet，andanumberofsmallboxesandparcelstiedupwithribbons。Asthefigurepausedbeforethedoor，MissTishgasped，andcastaquickrestrainingglancearoundtheclassroom。Butitwastoolate；adozenpairsofblue，black，round，inquiring，ormischievouseyeswerealreadydancingandgloatingoverthebizarrestrangerthroughthewindow。
　　“Acirkiss——orniggerminstrels——sureasyou’reborn！“saidMaryFrost，agednine，inafiercewhisper。
　　“No！——aagentfrom’TheEmporium，’withsamples，“returnedMissBriggs，agedfourteen。
　　“Youngladies，attendtoyourstudies，“saidMissTish，astheservantbroughtinacard。MissTishglancedatitwithsomenervousness，andreadtoherself，“ColonelCulpeperStarbottle，“
　　engravedinscript，andbelowitinpencil，“ToseeMissPansyStannard，underfavorofMissTish。“Risingwithsomeperturbation，MissTishhurriedlyintrustedtheclasstoanassistant，anddescendedtothereceptionroom。ShehadneverseenPansy’sguardianbeforetheexecutorhadbroughtthechild；andthisextraordinarycreature，whosevisitshecouldnotdeny，mightberuinoustoschooldiscipline。Itwasthereforewithanextradegreeoffrigidityofdemeanorthatshethrewopenthedoorofthereceptionroom，andenteredmajestically。Buttoherutterastonishment，thecolonelmetherwithabowsostately，soceremonious，andsocommandingthatshestopped，disarmedandspeechless。
　　“IneednotaskifIamaddressingMissTish，“saidthecolonelloftily，“forwithouthavingthepleasureof——er——previousacquaintance，Icanatoncerecognizethe——er——LadySuperiorand——
　　er——chatelaineofthis——er——establishment。“MissTishheregavewaytoaslightcoughandanembarrassedcurtsy，asthecolonel，withawaveofhiswhitehandtowardstheburdencarriedbyhisfollower，resumedmorelightly:“Ihavebrought——er——fewtriflesandgewgawsformyward——subject，ofcourse，toyourrulesanddiscretion。Theyincludesome——er——dainties，freefromanydeleterioussubstance，asIaminformed——asash——aribbonortwoforthehair，gloves，mittens，andanosegay——fromwhich，Itrust，itwillbeHERpleasure，asitismyown，toinviteyoutocullsuchblossomsasmaysuityourtaste。Boy，youmaysetthemdownandretire！“
　　“Atthepresentmoment，“stammeredMissTish，“MissStannardisengagedonherlessons。But“——Shestoppedagain，hopelessly。
　　“Isee，“saidthecolonel，withanairofplayful，poeticalreminiscence——“herlessons！Certainly！
　　’Wewill——er——gotoourplaces，Withsmilesonourfaces，Andsayallourlessonsdistinctlyandslow。’
　　Certainly！NotforworldswouldIinterruptthem；untiltheyaredone，wewill——er——walkthroughtheclassroomsandinspect“——
　　“No！no！“interruptedthehorrified，principal，withadreadfulpresentimentoftheappallingeffectofthecolonel’sentryupontheclass。“No！——thatis——Imean——ourrulesexclude——exceptondaysofpublicexamination“——
　　“Saynomore，mydearmadam，“saidthecolonelpolitely。“UntilsheisfreeIwillstrolloutside，through——er——thegrovesoftheAcademus“——
　　ButMissTish，equallyalarmedatthediversionthiswouldcreateattheclassroomwindows，recalledherselfwithaneffort。“Pleasewaithereamoment，“shesaidhurriedly；“Iwillbringherdown；“
　　andbeforethecolonelcouldpolitelyopenthedoorforher，shehadfled。
　　Happilyunconsciousofthesensationhehadcaused，ColonelStarbottleseatedhimselfonthesofa，hiswhitehandsrestingeasilyonthegold-headedcane。Onceortwicethedoorbehindhimopenedandclosedquietly，scarcelydisturbinghim；oragainopenedmoreostentatiouslytothewords，“Oh，excuse，please，“andthebriefglimpseofaflaxenbraid，orablackcurlyhead——toallofwhichthecolonelnoddedpolitely——evenrisinglatertotheapparitionofataller，demureyounglady——andhermoreaffected“Really，Ibegyourpardon！“Theonlyresultofthisevidentcuriositywasslightlytochangethecolonel’sattitude，soastoenablehimtoputhisotherhandinhisbreastinhisfavoritepose。Butpresentlyhewasconsciousofamoreactivemovementinthehall，ofthesoundsofscuffling，ofahighyouthfulvoicesaying“Iwon’t“and“Ishan’t！“ofthedooropeningtoamomentaryapparitionofMissTishdraggingasmallhandandhalfofasmallblack-ribbonedarmintotheroom，andherrapiddisappearanceagain，apparentlypulledbackbythelittlehandandarm；ofanotherandlongerpause，ofawhisperedconferenceoutside，andthenthereappearanceofMissTishmajestically，reinforcedandsupportedbythegrimpresenceofherpartner，MissPrinkwell。
　　“This——er——unexpectedvisit，“beganMissTish——“notpreviouslyarrangedbyletter“——
　　“Whichisaninvariableruleofourestablishment，“supplementedMissPrinkwell——
　　“Andthefactthatyouarepersonallyunknowntous，“continuedMissTish——
　　“Anignorancesharedbythechild，whoexhibitsadistasteforaninterview，“interpolatedMissPrinkwell，inakindofantiphonalresponse——
　　“Forwhichwehavehadnotimetoprepareher，“continuedMissTish——
　　“Compelsusmostreluctantly“——Buthereshestoppedshort。
　　ColonelStarbottle，whohadrisenwithadeepbowattheirentranceandremainedstanding，herewalkedquietlytowardsthem。Hisusuallyhighcolorhadfadedexceptfromhiseyes，buthisexaltedmannerwasstillmorepronounced，withadreadfuldeliberationsuperadded。
　　“Ibelieve——er——Ihad——thehonah——tosendupmykyard！“Inhissuprememomentsthecolonel’sSouthernaccentwasalwaysinevidence。“Imay——er——bemistaken——but——er——thatismyimpression。“Thecolonelpaused，andplacedhisrighthandstatuesquelyonhisheart。
　　Thetwowomentrembled——MissTishfanciedtheveryshirtfrillofthecolonelwasmajesticallyerectingitself——astheystammeredinonevoice，——
　　“Ye-e-es！“
　　“Thatkyardcontainedmyfullname——witharequesttoseemyward——
　　MissStannard，“continuedthecolonelslowly。“Ibelievethatisthefact。“
　　“Certainly！certainly！“gaspedthewomenfeebly。
　　“ThenmayI——er——pointouttoyouthatIAM——er——WAITING？“
　　Althoughnothingcouldexceedthelaborioussimplicityandhuskysweetnessofthecolonel’sutterance，itappearedtodemoralizeutterlyhistwohearers——MissPrinkwellseemedtofadeintothepatternofthewallpaper，MissTishtodroopsubmissivelyforwardlikeapinkwaxcandleintheraysoftheburningsun。
　　“Wewillbringherinstantly。Athousandpardons，sir，“theyutteredinthesamebreath，backingtowardsthedoor。
　　Butheretheunexpectedintervened。Unnoticedbythethreeduringthecolloquy，alittlefigureinablackdresshadpeepedthroughthedoor，andthenglidedintotheroom。Itwasagirlofaboutten，who，inallcandor，couldscarcelybecalledpretty，althoughtheawkwardchangeofadolescencehadnotdestroyedthedelicateproportionsofherhandsandfeetnorthebeautyofherbrowneyes。
　　Thesewere，justthen，roundandwondering，andfixedalternatelyonthecolonelandthetwowomen。Butlikemanyotherroundandwonderingeyes，theyhadtakeninthefullmeaningofthesituation，withaquicknesstheadultmindisnotapttogivethemcreditfor。Theysawthecompleteanduttersubjugationofthetwosupremeautocratsoftheschool，and，Igrievetosay，theywerefilledwithasecretand“fearfuljoy。“Butthecasualspectatorsawnoneofthis；theroundandwonderingeyes，stillrimmedwithrecentandrecalcitranttears，onlylookedbigandinnocentlyshining。
　　Thereliefofthetwowomenwassuddenandunaffected。
　　“Oh，hereyouare，dearest，atlast！“saidMissTisheagerly。
　　“Thisisyourguardian，ColonelStarbottle。Cometohim，dear！“
　　Shetookthehandofthechild，whohungbackwithanoddminglingofshamefacednessandresentmentoftheinterference，whenthevoiceofColonelStarbottle，inthesamedeadlycalmdeliberation，said，