“Inthisstyle，eh？Afterherlifehasbeenmadeahellbyherassociationwithamanofyourreputation，youproposetowhitewashitbyaquarrelwithacoupleofdrunkenscallawagslikeBeeswingerandWynyard，inthepresenceofthreepaintedtrollopsandad——dscamplikemyself！Doyousupposethiswon’tbeblownalloverCaliforniabeforeshecanbesentbacktoschool？Doyousupposethosecacklinghussiesinthenextroomwon’tgivethewholestoryawaytothenextmanwhostandstreat？“AfinecontemptforthesexingeneralwasoneofMr。Hamlin’smostsubtleattractionsforthem。
　　“Nevertheless，sir，“stammeredthecolonel，“thepromptpunishmentofthemanwhohasdared“——
　　“Punishment！“interruptedHamlin，“who’stopunishthemanwhohasdaredmost？Theonemanwhoisresponsibleforthewholething？
　　Who’stopunishYOU？“
　　“Mr。Hamlin——sir！“gaspedthecolonel，fallingback，ashishandinvoluntarilyrosetothelevelofhiswaistcoatpocketandhisderringer。
　　ButMr。Hamlinonlyputdownthewineglasshehadliftedfromthetableandwasdelicatelytwirlingbetweenhisfingers，andlookedfixedlyatthecolonel。
　　“Lookhere，“hesaidslowly。“WhentheboyssaidthatyouacceptedtheguardianshipofthatchildNOTonaccountofDickStannard，butonlyasabluffagainstthejokethey’dsetupatyou，Ididn’tbelievethem！Whenthesemenandwomento-nighttumbledtothatstoryofthechildbeingYOURS，Ididn’tbelievethat！Whenitwassaidbyothersthatyouwereseriousaboutmakingheryourward，andgivingheryourproperty，becauseyoudotedonherlikeafather，Ididn’tbelievethat。“
　　“And——whynotTHAT？“saidthecolonelquickly，yetwithanoddtremorinhisvoice。
　　“Because，“saidHamlin，becomingsuddenlyasgraveasthecolonel，“Icouldnotbelievethatanyonewhocaredapicayuneforthechildcouldundertakeatrustthatmightbringherintocontactwithalifeandcompanyasrottenasours。IcouldnotbelievethateventhemostGod-forsaken，conceitedfoolwould，forthesakeofalittlesentimentalparadeandsplurgeamongpeopleoutsidehisregularwalk，allowtheprospectsofthatchildtobeblasted。I
　　couldn’tbelieveit，evenifhethoughthewasactinglikeafather。Ididn’tbelieveit——butI’mbeginningtobelieveitnow！“
　　Therewaslittletochoosebetweentheattitudesandexpressionsofthetwosetsternfacesnowregardingeachother，silently，afootapart。Butthecolonelwasthefirsttospeak:——
　　“Mr。Hamlin——sir！YousaidamomentagothatIwas——er——ahem——
　　responsibleforthisevening’saffair——butyouexpressedadoubtastowhocould——er——punishmeforit。Iaccepttheresponsibilityyouhaveindicated，sir，andofferyouthatchance。Butasthismatterbetweenusmusthaveprecedenceover——myengagementswiththatcanaille，IshallexpectyouwithyoursecondsatsunriseonBurntRidge。Good-evening，sir。“
　　Withheaderectthecolonellefttheroom。Mr。Hamlinslightlyshruggedhisshoulders，turnedtothedooroftheroomwhitherhehadjustbanishedtheladies，andinafewminuteshisvoicewasheardmelodiouslyamongthegayest。
　　Forallthathemanagedtogetthemawayearly。Whenhehadbundledthemintoalargecarryall，andwatchedthemdriveawaythroughthestorm，hereturnedforaminutetothewaitingroomforhisovercoat。Hewassurprisedtohearthesoundofthechild’svoiceinthesupperroom，andthedoorbeingajar，hecouldseequitedistinctlythatshewasseatedatthetable，withaplatefullofsweetsbeforeher，whileColonelStarbottle，withhisbacktothedoor，wassittingoppositetoher，hisshouldersslightlybowedasheeagerlywatchedher。ItseemedtoMr。Hamlinthatitwasthecloseofanemotionalinterview，forPansy’svoicewasbroken，partlybysobs，andpartly，Igrievetosay，bythehurriedswallowingofthedelicaciesbeforeher。Yet，abovethebeatingofthestormoutside，hecouldhearhersaying，——
　　“Yes！Ipromisetobegood——sob——andtogowithMrs。Pyecroft——
　　sob——andtotrytolikeanotherguardian——sob——andnottocryanymore——sob——and——oh，please，DON’TYOUDOITEITHER！“
　　ButhereMr。Hamlinslippedoutoftheroomandoutofthehouse，witharathergraveface。Anhourlater，whenthecoloneldroveuptothePyecrofts’doorwithPansy，hefoundthatMr。Pyecroftwasslightlyembarrassed，andafigure，which，inthedarkness，seemedtoresembleMr。Hamlin’s，hadjustemergedfromthedoorasheentered。
　　YetthesunwasnotuponBurntRidgeearlierthanMr。Hamlin。Thestormofthenightbeforehadblownitselfout；afewshredsofmisthunginthevalleysfromtheRidge，thatlayabovecoldlyreddening。Thenabreezesweptoverit，andoutofthedissipatingmistfringeMr。Hamlinsawtwoblackfigures，closelybuttoneduplikehimself，emerge，whichherecognizedasBeeswingerandWynyard，followedbytheirseconds。Butthecolonelcamenot，Hamlinjoinedtheothersinananimatedconfidentialconversation，attendedbyawatchfuloutlookforthemissingadversary。Five，tenminuteselapsed，andyettheusuallypromptcolonelwasnotthere。Mr。Hamlinlookedgrave；WynyardandBeeswingerexchangedinterrogatoryglances。Thenabuggywasseendrivingfuriouslyupthegrade，andfromitleapedColonelStarbottle，accompaniedbyDickMacKinstry，hissecond，carryinghispistolcase。Andthen——
　　strangelyenoughformenwhowerewaitingthecomingofanantagonistwhowasadeadshot——theydrewabreathofrelief！
　　MacKinstryslightlyprecededhisprincipal，andtheotherscouldseethatStarbottle，thougherect，waswalkingslowly。Theyweresurprisedalsotoobservethathewashaggardandholloweyed，andseemed，inthefewhoursthathadelapsedsincetheylastsawhim，tohaveagedtenyears。MacKinstry，atallKentuckian，saluted，andwasthefirstonetospeak。
　　“ColonelStarbottle，“hesaidformally，“desirestoexpresshisregretsatthisdelay，whichwasunavoidable，ashewasobligedtoattendhisward，whowasleavingbythedowncoachforSacramentowithMrs。Pyecroft，thismorning。“Hamlin，Wynyard，andBeeswingerexchangedglances。“ColonelStarbottle，“continuedMacKinstry，turningtohisprincipal，“desirestosayawordtoMr。Hamlin。“
　　AsMr。Hamlinwouldhaveadvancedfromthegroup，ColonelStarbottleliftedhishanddeprecatingly。“WhatIhavetosaymustbesaidbeforethesegentlemen，“hebeganslowly。“Mr。Hamlin——
　　sir！whenIsolicitedthehonorofthismeetingIwasunderagrievousmisapprehensionoftheintentandpurposeofyourcommentsonmyactionlastevening。Ithink，“headded，slightlyinflatinghisbuttoned-upfigure，“thatthereputationIhavealwaysbornein——er——meetingsofthiskindwillpreventany——er——misunderstandingofmypresentaction——whichisto——er——askpermissiontowithdrawmychallenge——andtohumblybegyourpardon。“
　　Theastonishmentproducedbythisunexpectedapology，andMr。
　　Hamlin’spromptgraspofthecolonel’shand，hadscarcelypassedbeforethecoloneldrewhimselfupagain，andturningtohissecondsaid，“AndnowIamattheserviceofJudgeBeeswingerandMr。
　　Wynyard——whichevermayelecttohonormefirst。“
　　Butthetwomenthusaddressedlookedforamomentstrangelyfoolishandembarrassed。YettheawkwardnesswasatlastbrokenbyJudgeBeeswingerfranklyadvancingtowardsthecolonelwithanoutstretchedhand。“Wecamehereonlytoapologize，ColonelStarbottle。Withoutpossessingyourreputationandexperienceinthesematters，westillthinkwecanclaim，asyouhave，anequalexemptionfromanymisunderstandingwhenwesaythatwedeeplyregretourfoolishanddiscourteousconductlastevening。“
　　Aquickflushmountedtothecolonel’shaggardcheekashedrewbackwithasuspiciousglanceatHamlin。
　　“Mr。Hamlin！——gentlemen！——ifthisis——er——！“
　　ButbeforehecouldfinishhissentenceHamlinhadclappedhishandonthecolonel’sshoulder。“You’lltakemyword，colonel，thatthesegentlemenhonestlyintendedtoapologize，andcamehereforthatpurpose；——and——SODIDI——onlyyouanticipatedme！“
　　InthelaughterthatfollowedMr。Hamlin’sfranknessthecolonel’sfeaturesrelaxedgrimly，andheshookthehandsofhislatepossibleantagonists。
　　“Andnow，“saidMr。Hamlingayly，“you’llalladjourntobreakfastwithme——andtrytomakeupforthesupperweleftunfinishedlastnight。“
　　Itwastheonlyallusiontothatinterruptionanditsconsequences，forduringthebreakfastthecolonelsaidnothinginregardtohisward，andtheotherguestswerediscreetlyreticent。ButMr。
　　Hamlinwasnotsatisfied。Hemanagedtogetthecolonel’sservant，Jim，aside，andextractedfromthenegrothatColonelStarbottlehadtakenthechildthatnighttoPyecroft’s；thathehadhadalonginterviewwithPyecroft；hadwrittenlettersand’walkeddeflo’“allnight；thatheJimwasgladthechildwasgone！
　　“Why？“askedHamlin，withaffectedcarelessness。
　　“Shewasjustmakin’dekernellikeanyo’delow-downNo’th’nfolks——keerful，andstingy，andmighty’fraido’deopinionso’debiggetypeople。Andfo’what？Jesstostrutroundwiddatchildlikehewasher’spectablegotomeetingfader！“
　　“Andwasthechildsorrytoleavehim？“askedHamlin。
　　“Wull——no，sah。Demightycurosthing，MarseJack，aboutthegals——
　　bigandlittle——isdeyjustUSEdekernel——dat’sall！Deyjustusedeolemanlikeapoletobringdowndeirpersimmons——see？“
　　ButMr。Hamlindidnotsmile。
　　LateritwasknownthatColonelStarbottlehadresignedhisguardianshipwiththeconsentofthecourt。Whetherheeveragainsawhislatewardwasnotknown，norifheremainedloyaltohismemoriesofher。
　　Readersofthesechroniclesmay，however，rememberthatyearsafter，whenthecolonelmarriedthewidowofacertainMr。
　　Tretherick，bothinhiscourtshipandhisshortmarriedlifehewassingularlyindifferenttothechildishgracesofCarrieTretherick，herbelovedlittledaughter，andthathisobtusenessinthatrespectprovokedthewidow’sire。
　　PROSPER’S“OLDMOTHER“