till you
have 'em in hand again."

"Thank you," said Hester; "but that wouldn't help me in the long-run.
I must manage them alone."

"You mean that?"

"Yes; but I thank you none the less."

"And you're right. You're a plucky woman." She turned to Mr. Sam
briskly. "Well, take my arm and put on as light a face as you can.
Here's your hat--I've smoothed out the worst of the dents. Eh? Bain't
goin' to make a speech, surely!"

Mr. Sam, leaning slightly on his aunt's arm, pulled himself up on the
threshold and surveyed the children's wondering faces.

"Boys and girls," he said, "our opening day has been spoilt by a scene on
which I won't dwell, because I desire you not to dwell on it. If you
treat it lightly, as I intend to do, bearing no malice, we shall show the
world all the more clearly that we are in earnest about things which
really matter."

He cleared his throat and looked around with a challenging smile at
Hester, who watched him, wondering to hear her own words so cleverly
repeated.

"We wish," he proceeded, "to remember our opening day as a pleasant one.
Miss Marvin especially wishes to look back on it with pleasure; and I
think we all ought to help her. Now if I say no more about this foolish
young man--whom I could punish very severely--will you promise me to go
back to your books? To-day, as you know, is a half-holiday; but there
remains an hour for work before you disperse. I want your word that you
will employ it well, and honestly try to do all that Miss Marvin tells
you."

He paused again, and chose to take a slight murmur among the children for
their assent.

"I thank you. There is an old saying that he who conquers himself
performs a greater feat than he who takes a city. Some of us, Miss
Marvin, may hereafter associate the lesson with this our opening day."

He seemed to await some reply to this; but Hester could not speak, even to
thank him. Her spirit recoiled from him; she could not reconcile egoism
so inordinate with such cleverness in turning it to account. She watched
him with a certain fascination, as one watches some trained monster in a
show displaying its deformity for public applause. He shook hands with
her and made his exit, not without dignity, leaning on Mrs. Purchase's arm
and turning at the playground gate to wave farewell.

It is doubtful if the children understood his speech. But they were awed.
At the word of command they trooped into school, settled them