with Miss Mix, Jack advanced and soberly saluted her on the
cheek. But so positive and apparent was the gallantry of his presence,
and perhaps so suggestive of some pastoral flirtation, that Miss Mix, to
Jack's surprise, winced perceptibly and became stony. But he was still
more surprised that the young lady herself shrank half uneasily from his
lips, and uttered a slight exclamation. It was a new experience to Mr.
Hamlin.

But this somewhat mollified Miss Mix, and she slightly relaxed her
austerity. She was glad to be able to give the best accounts of Miss
Brown, not only as regarded her studies, but as to her conduct and
deportment. Really, with the present freedom of manners and laxity of
home discipline in California, it was gratifying to meet a young lady
who seemed to value the importance of a proper decorum and behavior,
especially towards the opposite sex. Mr. Hamlin, although her guardian,
was perhaps too young to understand and appreciate this. To this
inexperience she must also attribute the indiscretion of his calling
during school hours and without preliminary warning. She trusted,
however, that this informality could be overlooked after consultation
with Madame 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 especially for visitors, until
they returned. Or, if he cared to accompany one of the teachers in a
formal inspection of the school, she added, doubtfully, with a glance
at Jack's distracting attractions, she would submit this also to Madame
Bance.

"Thank you, thank you," returned Jack hurriedly, as a depressing vision
of the fifty or sixty scholars rose before his eyes, "but I'd rather
not. I mean, you know, I'd just as lief stay here ALONE. I wouldn't have
called anyway, don't you see, only I had a day off,--and--and--I wanted
to talk with my niece on family matters." He did not say that he had
received a somewhat distressful letter from her asking him to come; a
new instinct made him cautious.

Considerably relieved by Jack's unexpected abstention, which seemed to
spare her pupils the distraction of his graces, Miss Mix smiled more
amicably and retired with her charge. In the single glance he had
exchanged with Sophy he saw that, although resigned and apparently
self-controlled, she still appeared thoughtful and melancholy. She had
improved in appearance and seemed more refi