cry and threw her wet arms round the
colonel. The rest of the company, arrested in their festivity, gasped
with vague and smiling wonder; the colonel became purple and gasped.
But only for a moment. The next instant he was on his legs, holding the
child with one hand, while with the other he described a stately sweep
of the table.

"My ward--Miss Pansy Stannard," he said with husky brevity. But drawing
the child aside, he whispered quickly, "What has happened? Why are you
here?"

But Pansy, child-like, already diverted by the lights, the table piled
with delicacies, the gayly dressed women, and the air of festivity,
answered half abstractedly, and as much, perhaps, to the curious eyes
about her as to the colonel's voice,--

"I runned away!"

"Hush!" whispered the colonel, aghast.

But Pansy, responding again to the company rather than her guardian's
counsel, and as if appealing to them, went on half poutingly: "Yes! I
runned away because they teased me! Because they didn't like you and
said horrid things. Because they told awful, dreadful lies! Because they
said I wasn't no orphan!--that my name wasn't Stannard, and that you'd
made it all up. Because they said I was a liar--and YOU WAS MY FATHER!"

A sudden outbreak of laughter here shook the room, and even drowned
the storm outside; again and again it rose, as the colonel staggered
gaspingly to his feet. For an instant it seemed as if his struggles to
restrain himself would end in an apoplectic fit. Perhaps it was for this
reason that Jack Hamlin checked his own light laugh and became alert
and grave. Yet the next moment Colonel Starbottle went as suddenly dead
white, as leaning over the table he said huskily, but deliberately, "I
must request the ladies present to withdraw."

"Don't mind US, Colonel," said Judge Beeswinger, "it's all in the family
here, you know! And now I look at the girl--hang it all! she DOES favor
you, old man. Ha! ha!"

"And as for the ladies," said Wynyard with a weak, vinous laugh, "unless
any of 'em is inclined to take the matter as PERSONAL--eh?"

"Stop!" roared the colonel.

There was no mistaking his voice nor his intent now. The two men,
insulted and instantly sobered, were silent. Mr. Hamlin rose, playfully
but determinedly tapped his fair companions on the shoulders, saying,
"Run away and play, girls," actually bundled them, giggling and
protesting, from the room, closed the door, and stood with his back
against it. Then it