men in the row, and they were without bonnets. Evidently
these were the teachers, and of course the pink goddess was Miss Myrtle
Musgrove.

Ezra never knew whether the programme was long or short. The bells had
tintinabulated and musically welled into "Casabianca" which, in turn,
had merged into "The Queen o' the May," and presently before he realized
it Freedom was ringing in the closing notes of "America," and everybody
was standing up, pupils filing out, guests shaking hands, babel
reigning, and he had seen only a single, towering, handsome woman in all
the assembly.

Indeed, it had never occurred to him to doubt his own intuition, until
suddenly he heard his own name quite near, and turning quickly, he saw a
stout matronly woman of forty years or thereabouts standing beside him,
extending her hand.

Every unmarried woman is a "young lady" by courtesy south of Mason and
Dixon's line.

"I knew you as soon as I saw you, Mr. Slimm," she was saying. "I am Miss
Musgrove. But you didn't know me," she added, archly, while Ezra made
his bravest effort at cordiality, seizing her hand in an agony which it
is better not to attempt to describe.

Miss Musgrove's face was wholesome, and so kindly that not even a
cross-eye had power to spoil it. But Ezra saw only the plain middle-aged
woman--the contrast to the blooming divinity whose image yet filled his
soul. And he was committed to her who held his hand, unequivocally
committed in writing. If he sent heavenward an agonized prayer for
deliverance from a trying crisis, his petition was soon answered. And
the merciful instrument was even she of the cross-eye. Before he had
found need of a word of his own, she had drawn him aside, and was
saying:

"You see, Mr. Slimm, the only trouble with me is that I am already
married."

"Married!" gasped Ezra, trying in vain to keep the joy out of his voice.
"Married, you--you don't mean--"

"Yes, married to my profession--the only husband I shall ever take. But
your letter attracted me. I am a Normal School psychology student--a
hard name for a well-meaning woman--and it seemed to me you were worth
investigating. So I investigated. Then I knew you ought to be helped.
And so I sent for you, and I am going to introduce you to three of the
sweetest girls in Dixie; and if you can't find a wife among them, then
you are not so clever as I think you--that's all about it. And here
comes one of them now. Kitty, step here a minute, please. Mis