towal of a large gold piece slipped into her hand, a promise
to come again soon, and an exaction that she would write to him often,
the colonel received in return a wet kiss, a great deal of wet cheek
pressed against his own, and a momentary tender clinging, like that
which attends the pulling up of some small flower, as he passed out
into the porch. In the hall, on the landing above him, there was a close
packing of brief skirts against the railing, and a voice, apparently
proceeding from a pair of very small mottled legs protruding through the
balusters, said distinctly, "Free cheers for Ternel Tarbottle!" And to
this benediction the colonel, hat in hand, passed out of this Eden into
the world again.

The colonel's next visit to the seminary did not produce the same
sensation as the first, although it was accompanied with equal
disturbance to the fair principals. Had he been a less conceited man he
might have noticed that their antagonism, although held in restraint by
their wholesome fear of him, was in danger of becoming more a conviction
than a mere suspicion. He was made aware of it through Pansy's
resentment towards them, and her revelation of a certain inquisition
that she had been subjected to in regard to his occupation, habits, and
acquaintances. Naturally of these things Pansy knew very little, but
this had not prevented her from saying a great deal. There had been
enough in her questioners' manner to make her suspect that her guardian
was being attacked, and to his defense she brought the mendacity
and imagination of a clever child. What she had really said did not
transpire except through her own comments to the colonel: "And of course
you've killed people--for you're a kernel, you know?" (Here the colonel
admitted, as a point of fact, that he had served in the Mexican war.)
"And you kin PREACH, for they heard you do it when you was here before,"
she added confidently; "and of course you own niggers--for there's
'Jim.'" (The colonel here attempted to explain that Jim, being in a free
State, was now a free man, but Pansy swept away such fine distinctions.)
"And you're rich, you know, for you gave me that ten-dollar gold piece
all for myself. So I jest gave 'em as good as they sent--the old spies
and curiosity shops!" The colonel, more pleased at Pansy's devotion than
concerned over the incident itself, accepted this interpretation of his
character as a munificent, militant priest with a smiling protest. Bu