Thecolonelroseatthetouch。“Tellher，sir，“hesaidhuskily，butwithslowdeliberation，“thatI’amup’andleavingthisplacewithmyward，MissStannard。Good-morning。“HeliftedPansywithinfinitecourtesyfromherchair，tookherhand，strolledtothecounter，threwdownagoldpiece，andpassingthetableoftheastonishedfaironewithaninflatedbreast，sweptwithPansyoutoftheshop。Inthestreethepaused，biddingthechildgoon；andthen，findinghewasnotfollowedbythewoman’sescort，rejoinedhislittlecompanion。
　　Forafewmomentstheywalkedsilentlysidebyside。ThenPansy’scuriosity，gettingthebetterofherpout，demandedinformation。
　　Shehadappliedachild’sswiftlogictothescene。Thecolonelwasangry，andhadpunishedthewomanforsomething。Shedrewclosertohisside，andlookingupwithherbigeyes，saidconfidentially。
　　“Whathadshebeena-doing？“
　　Thecolonelwasamazed，embarrassed，andspeechless。Hewastotallyunpreparedforthequestion，andasunabletoanswerit。
　　Hisabruptdeparturefromtheshophadbeentoevadetheverytruthnowdemandedofhim。Onlyasupremeeffortofmendacitywaslefthim。Hewipedhisbrowwithhishandkerchief，coughed，andbegandeliberately:——
　　“The——er——ladyinquestionisinthehabitofusingascentcalled——
　　er——patchouli，a——er——perfumeexceedinglydistressingtome。I
　　detecteditinstantlyonherentrance。Iwishedtoavoidit——
　　withoutfurthercontact。Itis——er——singularbutacceptedfactthatsomepeopleare——er——peculiarlyaffectedbyodors。Ihad——er——
　　oldcherishedfriendwhoalways——er——faintedattheodorofjasmine；andIwasintimatelyacquaintedwithGeneralBludyer，who——
　　er——droppedlikeashotonthepresentationofasimpleviolet。
　　The——er——habitofusingsuchperfumesexcessivelyinpublic，“
　　continuedthecolonel，lookingdownupontheinnocentPansy，andspeakingintonesofdeadlydeliberation，“cannotbetoogreatlycondemned，aswellasthehabitof——er——frequentingplacesofpublicresortinextravagantcostumes，with——er——individualswho——
　　er——intrudeupondomesticprivacy。Itrustyouwilleschewsuchperfumes，places，costumes，and——er——companionsFOREVERand——ONALL
　　OCCASIONS！“Thecolonelhadraisedhisvoicetohisforensicemphasis，andPansy，somewhatalarmed，assented。Whethersheentirelyacceptedthecolonel’sexplanationwasanothermatter。
　　Theincident，althoughnotagainalludedto，seemedtoshadowtherestoftheirbriefafternoonholiday，andthecolonel’smannerwasunmistakablygraver。Butitseemedtothechildmoreaffectionateandthoughtful。HehadpreviouslyatpartingsubmittedtobekissedbyPansywithstatelytoleranceandanimmediateresumptionofhisloftiestmanner。Onthispresentleave-takinghelaidhisstraightcloselyshavenlipsonthecrownofherdarkhead，andashersmallarmsclippedhisneck，drewhercloselytohisside。Thechildutteredaslightcry；thecolonelhurriedlyputhishandtohisbreast。Herroundcheekhadcomeincontactwithhisderringer——asmallweaponofbeautyandprecision——whichinvariablynestledalsoathisside，inhiswaistcoatpocket。Thechildlaughed；sodidthecolonel，buthischeekflushedmightily。
　　Itwasfourmonthslater，andaturbulentnight。Theearlyrains，drivenbyastrongsouthwesteragainsttheupperwindowsoftheMagnoliaRestaurant，sometimesblurredtheradianceofthebrightlightswithin，andtheroaroftheencompassingpinesattimesdrownedthesoundsofsongandlaughterthatrosefromaprivatesupperroom。EventheclatteringarrivalanddepartureoftheSacramentostagecoach，whichdisturbedthedepthsbelow，didnotaffecttheseupperrevelers。ForColonelStarbottle，JackHamlin，JudgeBeeswinger，andJoWynyard，assistedbyMesdamesMontague，Montmorency，Bellefield，and“Tinky“Clifford，ofthe“WesternStarCombinationTroupe，“thenperforming“ontour，“wereholding“highjinks“inthesupperroom。Thecolonelhadbeenoflatemoody，irritable，andeasilyupset。Inthewordsofafriendandadmirer，“hewaskamonlyattwelvepaces。“
　　InalullinthegeneraltumultaChinesewaiterwasseenatthedoorvainlyendeavoringtoattracttheattentionofthecolonelbysignsandinterjections。Mr。Hamlin’squickeyefirstcaughtsightoftheintruder。“Comein，Confucius，“saidJackpleasantly；
　　“you’reatriflelateforaregularturn，butanylittlethinginthewayofknifeswallowing“——
　　“Lillmisseetoseeconnle！Waiteewaitee，bottomsidehousee，“
　　interruptedtheChinaman，dividinghisspeechbetweenJackandthecolonel。
　　“What！ANOTHERlady？Thisisnoplaceforme！“saidJack，risingwithfinelysimulateddecorum。
　　“Askherup，“chirped“Tinky“Clifford。
　　ButatthismomentthedooropenedagainsttheChinaman，andasmallfigureinacloakandhat，drippingwithraindrops，glidedswiftlyin。Afteramoment’shalf-frightened，half-admiringglanceattheparty，shedartedforwardwithalittlecryandthrewherwetarmsroundthecolonel。Therestofthecompany，arrestedintheirfestivity，gaspedwithvagueandsmilingwonder；thecolonelbecamepurpleandgasped。Butonlyforamoment。Thenextinstanthewasonhislegs，holdingthechildwithonehand，whilewiththeotherhedescribedastatelysweepofthetable。
　　“Myward——MissPansyStannard，“hesaidwithhuskybrevity。Butdrawingthechildaside，hewhisperedquickly，“Whathashappened？
　　Whyareyouhere？“
　　ButPansy，child-like，alreadydivertedbythelights，thetablepiledwithdelicacies，thegaylydressedwomen，andtheairoffestivity，answeredhalfabstractedly，andasmuch，perhaps，tothecuriouseyesaboutherastothecolonel’svoice，——
　　“Irunnedaway！“
　　“Hush！“whisperedthecolonel，aghast。
　　ButPansy，respondingagaintothecompanyratherthanherguardian’scounsel，andasifappealingtothem，wentonhalfpoutingly:“Yes！Irunnedawaybecausetheyteasedme！Becausetheydidn’tlikeyouandsaidhorridthings。Becausetheytoldawful，dreadfullies！BecausetheysaidIwasn’tnoorphan！——thatmynamewasn’tStannard，andthatyou’dmadeitallup。BecausetheysaidIwasaliar——andYOUWASMYFATHER！“
　　Asuddenoutbreakoflaughterhereshooktheroom，andevendrownedthestormoutside；againandagainitrose，asthecolonelstaggeredgaspinglytohisfeet。Foraninstantitseemedasifhisstrugglestorestrainhimselfwouldendinanapoplecticfit。
　　PerhapsitwasforthisreasonthatJackHamlincheckedhisownlightlaughandbecamealertandgrave。YetthenextmomentColonelStarbottlewentassuddenlydeadwhite，asleaningoverthetablehesaidhuskily，butdeliberately，“Imustrequesttheladiespresenttowithdraw。“
　　“Don’tmindUS，Colonel，“saidJudgeBeeswinger，“it’sallinthefamilyhere，youknow！AndnowIlookatthegirl——hangitall！
　　sheDOESfavoryou，oldman。Ha！ha！“
　　“Andasfortheladies，“saidWynyardwithaweak，vinouslaugh，“unlessanyof’emisinclinedtotakethematterasPERSONAL——eh？“
　　“Stop！“roaredthecolonel。
　　Therewasnomistakinghisvoicenorhisintentnow。Thetwomen，insultedandinstantlysobered，weresilent。Mr。Hamlinrose，playfullybutdeterminedlytappedhisfaircompanionsontheshoulders，saying，“Runawayandplay，girls，“actuallybundledthem，gigglingandprotesting，fromtheroom，closedthedoor，andstoodwithhisbackagainstit。Thenitwasseenthatthecolonel，stillverywhite，washoldingthechildbythehand，assheshrankbackwonderinglyandalittlefrightenedagainsthim。
　　“IthankYOU，Mr。Hamlin，“saidthecolonelinalowervoice——yetwithaslighttouchofhishabitualstatelinessinit，“forbeingheretobearwitness，inthepresenceofthischild，tomyunqualifiedstatementthatamorefoul，vile，andiniquitousfalsehoodneverwasutteredthanthatwhichhasbeenpouredintoherinnocentears！“Hepaused，walkedtothedoor，stillholdingherhand，and，asMr。Hamlinsteppedaside，openedit，toldhertoawaithiminthepublicparlor，closedthedooragain，andoncemorefacedthetwomen。“And，“hecontinuedmoredeliberately，“fortheinfamousjeststhatyou，JudgeBeeswinger，andyou，Mr。
　　Wynyard，havedaredtopassinherpresenceandmine，Ishallexpectfromeachofyouthefullestsatisfaction——personalsatisfaction。Mysecondswillwaitonyouinthemorning！“
　　Thetwomenstoodupsobered——yetbelligerent。
　　“Asyoulike，sir，“saidBeeswinger，flashing。
　　“Thesoonerthebetterforme，“addedWynyardcurtly。
　　TheypassedtheunruffledJackHamlinwithasmileandavaguelysignificantair，asifcallinghimasawitnesstothecolonel’smadness，andstrodeoutoftheroom。
　　Asthedoorclosedbehindthem，Mr。Hamlinlightlysettledhiswhitewaistcoat，and，withhishandsonhiships，loungedtowardsthecolonel。“AndTHEN？“hesaidquietly。
　　“Eh？“saidthecolonel。
　　“Afteryou’veshotoneorbothofthesemen，oroneof’emhasknockedyouout，what’stobecomeofthatchild？“
　　“If——Iam——er——spared，sir，“saidthecolonelhuskily，“Ishallcontinuetodefendher——againstcalumnyandsneers“