tion that with bated breath," said the Skeptic, "precisely as
every one, including its graduates, mentions it. I admit that Miss
Lockwood's school is a place where rich young savages are turned out
polished members of society. But there's been more than that."

"The Preacher himself?" I suggested.

The Skeptic looked at me. "Do you mean to imply," said he, with raised
eyebrows, "that any woman would admit the possibility of
acquaintanceship with any particular man's having had a formative
influence on her character? After school-days, I mean of course."

"Why not?" I inquired. "What influence could be greater?"

The Skeptic looked at the Philosopher, who returned his gaze calmly.

"Did you ever expect to hear that?" asked the Skeptic.

"I should not think of denying the influence of woman upon man," replied
the Philosopher. "Why should not the rule work both ways?"

"I never heard it thus flatly formulated before," declared the Skeptic.
"It does me good, that's all. So you think the Preacher has had a hand
in the reformation?"

"You have seen the Preacher," said I. "You know the family from which
he comes--he's of good stock. You've only to hear him speak to see
that he's a man of purpose, of action, of training--boy as he looks.
How could he fail to have a strong influence upon a girl who cared
for him?"

The Skeptic looked at Hepatica. "Do you agree with her?" he inquired.

"Of course I agree with her," responded Hepatica, looking from him to
me--and back again. "You are only pretending to doubt us both. It's very
clever of you, but we know perfectly that you understand how far--very
far--we are affected by your ideals, your judgments, your whole estimate
of life. Therefore--you must be very careful how you use your influence
with us!"

The Skeptic gave her back the look he saw in her eyes. "Ah, you two
belong to the wise ones!" he said. "The wise ones, who, magnifying our
hold on you, thus acquire a far more tremendous hold on us! Eh, Philo?"

The Philosopher smiled--inscrutably. Probably he felt that an
inscrutable smile was his safest means of navigating waters like these.

We went down to the wedding. The Preacher stood up very straight while
he was being married, and though his boyish cheek paled and reddened
again as the ceremony proceeded, his responses were clear-cut. Rhodora
made a bonny bride. The absurd vision I had had of her, ever since I
had heard she was to be married, of her taking the of