The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-09

suit. supposed to represent homeay agn-
euisorits, bat winch had the erect Of trans
forming him into m adorable Ssrephou
Infinitely more dangerous in his rustic
shsphefd-Iiks simplicity He had also
shaved on his siiken m0ustaehe Tor the
same prudential reasons. bat had only sue
eeeded IN uneOveTing the delicate lines Of
his handsome mouth, and % ahsuydiy re-
ducinE his apparent ears. that his ayuncu-
lar preseasiOns seemed more preposterous
than ever. And when be had rung the
bell and vas admitted By severe Hi
bernian porteyess. his momentaTy heCta-
taon and half humorous difiidence hsd such
IN unexpected effect upon her that =
seemed doubtful If he would Be allowed TO
pass beyond the vestibuse. ..Shure, miss,
she said in whisper 10 an under Teacher:
there's wan ~ the dure who calls himself
Mister Hamlir.' bat ~ IL 10 not young
lady mSskeradin' in her brothers clothes
I'm very much mistaken. and av ITS
boy-ons Of the pupils broshers-sure ye
might put . dhress on him when you take
the others out for walk and he'd pass for
the beauty Of the whole school
Meantime the unconscious subject Of
this criticism was pacing somewhat I'M
easily up and down the formal reception
room into which be had been finally ush-
cred. Its further end Was filled BY m
enormous payior organ. . number OF music
books and . cheerfuily vaEiegated globe.
A large presentation Bible. m equally
massive illustrated volume on the Holy
Land, few landscapes in cold. biueish.
miik-and-water eolors and rigid heads IN
crayons. the work Of pupils. were presum-
ably ornamental. An imposing mahogany
soda and what seemed 70 b
dispropOrtionate access OF chairs,
somewhat coId,y furnished the room.
room. Jack had reluctantly made up his
mind that If Sophy Was accompanied oy
any one he would be Obliged TO kiss her 20
keep mp his assumed relationship. Al she
entered the room with Mss Mix. Jack ad-
vanced and soberiy saiuted her on the
cheek. But 90 positive and apparent
Was the gailantry of his presence. and par
haps 20 suggestive Of some pastoral dirta-
ton that Miss Mix, to Jacks surprise,
WINGED perceptibiy and became stony.
But he WAS still more surprised that the
young girl herself shrank half uneasily
from his lips and uttered . slight excla-
nation. It Was . new experience to MI.
Hamlin.
But tins somewhat Modified Miss Mix.
and she slightly relaxed her austerisy.
She Was Riad 70 Be able 10 give the best ac-
counts OF Miss Brown, not only - r.
gafded her studies but ~ to her conduct
and department. Really with the present
freedom Of manners and laxity Of home
discipline in California, it was gratifying
to meet . young lady who seemed to
value the importance Of proper decorum
and behavior, especially toward the oppo-
site sex. Mr.. Hamiin. although her guar
dian. was perhaps too young to under
stand and appreciate this. To this mex
perience she must also attribute the
indiscretion Of his calling during school
hours and without preliminary warning.
She trusted, however. that this informal
ity could be overlooked after consultation
with Nine. Bance, but in the mean
time-perhaps for half an hour-she
must withdraw Miss Brown and return
with her to the class. Mr.. Hamlin could
wait In this public room, reserved espe-
cially for visitors, until they returned. Or
II he cared 70 accompany one Of the teach
err IN formal inspection OF the school
she added doubtfully With . glance at
Jacks distracting attentions-she would
submit this also to Nine. Bance.
Thank you-thank you, returned Jack
hurriediy - . depressing vision Of the
fifty or sixty scholars rose before his eyes.
"But l. rather not-I mean, you know, I'd
just - leave stay here alone. wouldn't
have called anyway. don't you 80, only l
had . day oG-and-and-Iwa wanted TO talk
with my niece on family mattsrs." He
did not say that he had received . some
what distressful letter from her asking
him 70 come; new instinct made him
cautious.
Considerably relieved By Jacks unex-
pected abstention. which seemed to spare
her pupils the distraction Of his grsces,
Miss Nix smiled more amicably and re-
tired With her charge. In the single glance
he had exchanged with Sophy be saw
that, although resigned and apparently
self-controlled, she still appeared thought
ful and melancholy. She had improved
in appearance and seemed more refined
and less rustic In her school drsss, but he
was conscious Of the same distinct separa-
ton Of her personality, which Was unin-
teresting to him. from the sentiment that
had impelled him to visit her. She was
possibly still hankering after that fellow
Stratton, in spite of her protsstetions to the
contrary. Perhaps she wanted to 20 back
to her sister. although she had declared she
would die first and had always refused
70 disclose her real nan1o o. give any clue
by which he could hayo traced her rela-
tioua She would cry. Of course: he Al
alone; he half regretted that he had come.
She still held him only BY single quality
of her nature-the desperation she had
shown in the boat; thai Vas something
he understood and respected.
He walked discontentedly to the win
dow and looked out; he walked discon-
tentediy to the end Of the room and
UtOPpeO OelOI0 toe Orx10s ~ a. y uDe
instrument: he could zee that with an adj
miring and experienced eye. He was
alone in the room In fact. quite alone in
that part of the house, which was separ-
ated from the class rooms. He would dis
turb no one by trying il And If he did,
what then? He smiled little recklessly,
slowly pulled of his gloves and sat down
before It,
He played cautiously Ut frst. with the
soft pedal down. The instrument had
never known q strong masculine hand be-
fore. having been fumbled and friveled
over by softly-incompetent feminine
fingers. Bat presently it began to thrill
under the passionate hand OF its lover,
and carried away by his own innocent
weakness, lack was launched upon . sea
of musical "reminiscences. Scraps of church
music. Puritan psalms Of his boyhood, dy-
ing strains from sad forgotten operas.
fragments OF oratorios and symphonies
but chiefly phrases from old masses heard
at the missions Of San Pedro and Santa
Isabel. swelied up from his loving and
masterful fingers. He has finished an
Agnus Del: the formal room Was pulsat-
ing with divine inspiration: the rascal's
hands were resting listlessiy on the keys,
his brown iashes lifted, in an effort OF men,
cry. tenderiy toward the ceiling. Suddenly
q subdued murmur Of applause and .
slight rustic behind him recalled him TO
himself again. He wheeled his chair
quickly round The two principals Of the
school and half . dozen teachers were
sfA0dioc cravslv hahsua him and as the