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sleigh toward the Genoa Hotel。  And then the train sped away again;

with that passionless indifference to human sympathies or curiosity

peculiar to express trains; the one baggage truck was wheeled into

the station again; the station door was locked; and the

stationmaster went home。



The locomotive whistle; however; awakened the guilty consciousness

of three young ladies of the Crammer Institute; who were even then

surreptitiously regaling themselves in the bakeshop and

confectionery saloon of Mistress Phillips in a by…lane。  For even

the admirable regulations of the Institute failed to entirely

develop the physical and moral natures of its pupils。  They

conformed to the excellent dietary rules in public; and in private

drew upon the luxurious rations of their village caterer。  They

attended church with exemplary formality; and flirted informally

during service with the village beaux。  They received the best and

most judicious instruction during school hours; and devoured the

trashiest novels during recess。  The result of which was an

aggregation of quite healthy; quite human; and very charming young

creatures that reflected infinite credit on the Institute。  Even

Mistress Phillips; to whom they owed vast sums; exhilarated by the

exuberant spirits and youthful freshness of her guests; declared

that the sight of 〃them young things〃 did her good; and had even

been known to shield them by shameless equivocation。



〃Four o'clock; girls! and; if we're not back to prayers by five;

we'll be missed;〃 said the tallest of these foolish virgins; with

an aquiline nose; and certain quiet elan that bespoke the leader;

as she rose from her seat。  〃Have you got the books; Addy?〃  Addy

displayed three dissipated…looking novels under her waterproof。

〃And the provisions; Carry?〃  Carry showed a suspicious parcel

filling the pocket of her sack。  〃All right; then。  Come; girls;

trudgeCharge it;〃 she added; nodding to her host as they passed

toward the door。  〃I'll pay you when my quarter's allowance comes。〃



〃No; Kate;〃 interposed Carry; producing her purse; 〃let me pay;

it's my turn。〃



〃Never!〃 said Kate; arching her black brows loftily; 〃even if you

do have rich relatives; and regular remittances from California。

Never!  Come; girls; forward; march!〃



As they opened the door; a gust of wind nearly took them off their

feet。  Kindhearted Mrs。 Phillips was alarmed。  〃Sakes alive; galls!

ye mussn't go out in sich weather。  Better let me send word to the

Institoot; and make ye up a nice bed tonight in my parlor。〃  But

the last sentence was lost in a chorus of half…suppressed shrieks

as the girls; hand in hand; ran down the steps into the storm; and

were at once whirled away。



The short December day; unlit by any sunset glow; was failing fast。

It was quite dark already; and the air was thick with driving snow。

For some distance their high spirits; youth; and even inexperience

kept them bravely up; but; in ambitiously attempting a short cut

from the highroad across an open field; their strength gave out;

the laugh grew less frequent; and tears began to stand in Carry's

brown eyes。  When they reached the road again; they were utterly

exhausted。  〃Let us go back;〃 said Carry。



〃We'd never get across that field again;〃 said Addy。



〃Let's stop at the first house; then;〃 said Carry。



〃The first house;〃 said Addy; peering through the gathering

darkness; 〃is Squire Robinson's。〃  She darted a mischievous glance

at Carry that; even in her discomfort and fear; brought the quick

blood to her cheek。



〃Oh; yes!〃 said Kate with gloomy irony; 〃certainly; stop at the

squire's by all means; and be invited to tea; and be driven home

after by your dear friend Mr。 Harry; with a formal apology from

Mrs。 Robinson; and hopes that the young ladies may be excused this

time。  No!〃 continued Kate with sudden energy。  〃That may suit YOU;

but I'm going back as I cameby the window; or not at all〃  Then

she pounced suddenly; like a hawk; on Carry; who was betraying a

tendency to sit down on a snowbank and whimper; and shook her

briskly。  〃You'll be going to sleep next。  Stay; hold your tongues;

all of youwhat's that?〃



It was the sound of sleigh bells。  Coming down toward them out of

the darkness was a sleigh with a single occupant。  〃Hold down your

heads; girls: if it's anybody that knows us; we're lost。〃  But it

was not; for a voice strange to their ears; but withal very kindly

and pleasant; asked if its owner could be of any help to them。  As

they turned toward him; they saw it was a man wrapped in a handsome

sealskin cloak; wearing a sealskin cap; his face; half…concealed by

a muffler of the same material; disclosing only a pair of long

mustaches; and two keen dark eyes。  〃It's a son of old Santa

Claus!〃 whispered Addy。  The girls tittered audibly as they tumbled

into the sleigh; they had regained their former spirits。  〃Where

shall I take you?〃 said the stranger quietly。  There was a hurried

whispering; and then Kate said boldly; 〃To the Institute。〃  They

drove silently up the hill; until the long; ascetic building loomed

up before them。  The stranger reined up suddenly。  〃You know the

way better than I;〃 he said。  〃Where do you go in?〃  〃Through the

back window;〃 said Kate with sudden and appalling frankness。  〃I

see!〃 responded their strange driver quietly and; alighting

quickly; removed the bells from the horses。  〃We can drive as near

as you please now;〃 he added by way of explanation。  〃He certainly

is a son of Santa Claus;〃 whispered Addy。  〃Hadn't we better ask

after his father?〃  〃Hush!〃 said Kate decidedly。  〃He is an angel;

I dare say。〃  She added with a delicious irrelevance; which was;

however; perfectly understood by her feminine auditors; 〃We are

looking like three frights。〃



Cautiously skirting the fences; they at last pulled up a few feet

from a dark wall。  The stranger proceeded to assist them to alight。

There was still some light from the reflected snow; and as he

handed his fair companions to the ground; each was conscious of

undergoing an intense though respectful scrutiny。  He assisted them

gravely to open the window; and then discreetly retired to the

sleigh until the difficult and somewhat discomposing ingress was

made。  He then walked to the window。  〃Thank you and good night!〃

whispered three voices。  A single figure still lingered。  The

stranger leaned over the window sill。  〃Will you permit me to light

my cigar here?  It might attract attention if I struck a match

outside。〃  By the upspringing light he saw the figure of Kate very

charmingly framed in by the window。  The match burnt slowly out in

his fingers。  Kate smiled mischievously。  The astute young woman

had detected the pitiable subterfuge。  For what else did she stand

at the head of her class; and had doting parents paid three years'

tuition?



The storm had passed; and the sun was shining quite cheerily in the

eastern recitation room the next morning when Miss Kate; whose seat

was nearest the window; placing her hand pathetically upon her

heart; affected to fall in bashful and extreme agitation upon the

shoulder of Carry; her neighbor。  〃HE has come;〃 she gasped in a

thrilling whisper。  〃Who?〃 asked Carry sympathetically; who never

clearly understood when Kate was in earnest。  〃Who?Why; the man

who rescued us last night!  I saw him drive to the door this

moment。  Don't speak; I shall be better in a momentthere!〃 she

said; and the shameless hypocrite passed her hand pathetically

across her forehead with a tragic air。



〃What can he want?〃 asked Carry; whose curiosity was excited。  〃I

don't know;〃 said Kate; suddenly relapsing into gloomy cynicism。

〃Possibly to put his five daughters to school; perhaps to finish

his young wife; and warn her against us。〃



〃He didn't look old; and he didn't seem like a married man;〃

rejoined Addy thoughtfully。



〃That was his art; you poor creature!〃 returned Kate scornfully。

〃You can never tell anything of these men; they are so deceitful。

Besides; it's just my fate!〃



〃Why; Kate;〃 began Carry; in serious concern。



〃Hush!  Miss Walker is saying something;〃 said Kate; laughing。



〃The young ladies will please give attention;〃 said a slow;

perfunctory voice。  〃Miss Carry Tretherick is wanted in the

parlor。〃



Meantime Mr。 Jack Prince; the name given on the card; and various

letters and credentials submitted to the Rev。 Mr。 Crammer; paced

the somewhat severe apartment known publicly as the 〃reception

parlor〃 and privately to the pupils as 〃purgatory。〃  His keen eyes

had taken in the various rigid details; from the flat steam

〃radiator;〃 like an enormous japanned soda cracker; that heated one

end of the room to the monumental bust of Dr。 Crammer that

hopelessly chilled the other; from the Lord's Prayer; executed by a

former writing master in such gratuitous variety of elegant

calligraphic trifling as

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