't call her 'Miss Hoover,'" suggested the master; "what's her
first name?"

"We was thinkin' o' 'Serafina Ann,'" said Mrs. Hoover with more gravity.

"But what is her name?" persisted the master.

"Well," returned Mrs. Hoover, with a troubled look, "me and Hiram
consider it's a heathenish sort of name for a young gal, but you'll find
it in my brother's letter." She took a letter from under the lid of a
large Bible on the table and pointed to a passage in it.

"The child was christened 'Concepcion,'" read the master. "Why, that's
one of the Marys!"

"The which?" asked Mrs. Hoover severely.

"One of the titles of the Virgin Mary; 'Maria de la Concepcion,'" said
Mr. Brooks glibly.

"It don't sound much like anythin' so Christian and decent as 'Maria' or
'Mary,'" returned Mrs. Hoover suspiciously.

"But the abbreviation, 'Concha,' is very pretty. In fact it's just the
thing, it's so very Spanish," returned the master decisively. "And
you know that the squaw who hangs about the mining camp is called
'Reservation Ann,' and old Mrs. Parkins's negro cook is called 'Aunt
Serafina,' so 'Serafina Ann' is too suggestive. 'Concha Hoover' 's the
name."

"P'r'aps you're right," said Mrs. Hoover meditatively.

"And dress her so she'll look like her name and you'll be all right,"
said the master gayly as he took his departure.

Nevertheless, it was with some anxiety the next morning he heard the
sound of hoofs on the rocky bridle path leading to the schoolhouse. He
had already informed his little flock of the probable addition to their
numbers and their breathless curiosity now accented the appearance
of Mr. Hoover riding past the window, followed by a little figure on
horseback, half hidden in the graceful folds of a serape. The next
moment they dismounted at the porch, the serape was cast aside, and the
new scholar entered.

A little alarmed even in his admiration, the master nevertheless thought
he had never seen a more dainty figure. Her heavily flounced white skirt
stopped short just above her white-stockinged ankles and little
feet, hidden in white satin, low-quartered slippers. Her black silk,
shell-like jacket half clasped her stayless bust clad in an under-bodice
of soft muslin that faintly outlined a contour which struck him as
already womanly. A black lace veil which had protected her head, she
had on entering slipped down to her shoulders with a graceful gesture,
leaving one end of it pinned to her hair by a r