第1章

ThestagerumbledalongthemainstreetofGranville,anddrewupinfrontoftheonlyhotelofwhichthevillagecouldboast.Thedriverdescendedfromhisthrone,andcomingroundtothesideopenedthedoorandaddressedtheonlypassengerremainingwithin.

"Wheredoyouwanttogo,miss?"Agirl"sfacelookedoutinquiringly."Isthisthehotel?"sheasked."Yes,miss."

"I

willgetouthere,"shesaidquietly.

Therewereafewloungersonthepiazza,whichextendedalongthewholefrontofthebuilding.Asshedescendedwithalightandspringystep,disregardingtheprofferedaidofthedriver,theyeyedhercuriously.

"Whoisshe,Abner?"askedTimothyVarnumofthedriver,asthestrangerenteredthehouse.

"I

reckonshe"sthenewschoolteacher,"saidAbner;"IheardSquireHadleysayshewasexpectedtoday."

"Wheredoesshecomefrom?"

"YorkState,somewhere.Idon"tjustlyknowwhere."

"Lookslikeacitygal."

"Mebbe,thoughIdon"tthinkitwouldpayacitygaltocometoGranvilletoteach."

Unconsciousofthecuriositywhichherappearancehadexcited,thegirlenteredtheopenentryandpaused.Amiddleagedwoman,evidentlythelandladyoftheinn,speedilymadeherappearance."Goodafternoon,miss,"shesaid.

"ShallIshowyoutoaroom?"

"Thankyou,"saidthestranger,gratefully."Ishallbeverygladifyouwill.Theridehasbeenwarmanddusty.Mytrunksareonthestage——"

"Allright,miss,I"llhavethemsentup.Ifyou"llfollowmeupstairs,I"llgiveyouaroom."

Sheledthewayintoafrontroom,veryplainlyfurnished,butwithapleasantviewofthevillagefromthewindows."Ithinkyouwillfindeverythingyourequire,"shesaid,preparingtogo."Supperwillbereadyinhalfanhour,butyoucanhaveitlaterifyouwish."

"I

shallbeready,thankyou."

Leftalone,thestrangersankintoawoodenrockingchair,andgazedthoughtfullyfromthewindow.

"Well,Ihavetakenthedecisivestep,"shesaidtoherself."Itmaybeamadfreak,butImustnotdrawbacknow.InsteadofgoingtoNewportortoEurope,Ihavedeliberatelyagreedtoteachthegrammarschoolinthisoutofthewaycountryplace.Iamwhollyunknownhere,anditishardlylikelythatanyofmyfriendswillfindmeout.ForthefirsttimeinmylifeIshallmakemyselfuseful——perhaps.Orwillmyexperimentendinfailure?Thatisaquestionwhichtimealonecansolve."

Sherose,andremovinghertravelingwraps,preparedforthetable.

Thenewcomer"stwotrunkswerebeingremovedfromthestagewhenMrs.Slocumpassed,onherwaytothestore.Beingnaturallyofawatchfulandobservantturnofmind,thisworthyoldladymadeitherbusinesstofindoutallthatwasgoingoninthevillage.

"Whosetrunksarethem,Abner?sheasked,inavoicehighpitchedeventoshrillness.

"Theybelongtotheyoungladythat"sstoppin"inthehotel.Shecameinonthestage."

"Who"sshe?"

"I

don"tknowanymore"nyoudo,"saidAbner,whoknewMrs.Slocum"sfailing,andwasnotanxioustogratifyit.

"There"shernameonacard,"saidtheoldladytriumphantly,pointingtooneofthetrunks."Ihain"tgotmyglasseswithme.Justreaditoff,willyou?"

ProbablyAbnerhadalittlecuriosityofhisown.Atalleventshecompliedwiththeoldlady"srequest,andreadaloud:

"MISSMABELFROST,Granville,N.H."

"Youdon"tsay!"ejaculatedMrs.Slocum,inatoneofinterest.

"Why,it"sthenewschoolteacher!Whatsortofalookingwomanisshe?"

"I

didn"tnoticeher,partic"lar.Shelookedquitelikealady."

"Areboththemtrunkshern?"

"Yes,ma"am."

"Whatonairthdoesshewantwithtwotrunks?saidMrs.Slocum,disapprovingly.Mustbefondofdress.Ihopesheain"tgoin"tolarnourgalstoputonfinery."

"Mebbeshe"sgotherbooksinoneof"em,"suggestedAbner.

"A

wholetrunkfulofbooks!Landsakes!Youmustbecrazy.Nobodybutaministerwouldwantsomanybooksasthat.An"it"saclearwastefortheparsontobuysomanyashedoes.Ifhedidn"tspendsomuchmoneythatway,hiswifecoulddressalittlemoredecent.Why,theman"sgotatleasttwoorthreehundredbooksalready,andyethe"salwayswantin"tobuymore."

"I

guesshiswifewouldn"twantthetrunksforherclothes,"suggestedAbner.

"Youareright,"saidMrs.Slocum,nodding."IdeclareI"msickandtiredofthatoldbombazineshe"sworntochurchthelastthreeyears.A

strangermightthinkwestintedtheminister."

"Precisely,Mrs.Slocum,"saidavoicebehindher.That"smyopinion."

"Oh,Dr.Titus,isthatyou?"saidtheoldlady,turning.

"Whatisleftofme.I"vebeenmakingcallsalltheafternoon,andI"musedup.Soyouthinkwearestintingtheminister?"

"No,Idon"t,"saidMrs.Slocum,indignantly."Ithinkwepayhimhandsome.Fivehundreddollarsayearandadonationpartyismore"nsomeofusget."

"Delivermefromthedonationparty!"saidthedoctorhastily.

"Ilookuponthatasoneoftheminister"strials."

"I

s"poseyouwillhaveyourjoke,doctor,"saidMrs.Slocum,notverywellpleased."Itellyouadonationpartyisagreathelpwherethere"safamily."

"Perhapsitis;butIamgladitisn"tthefashiontohelpdoctorsinthatway."

Dr.

Tituswasafreespokenman,andalwayshadbeen.Hispracticewasonlymoderatelylucrativebutitwaswellknownthathepossessedacompetency,andcouldlivecomfortablyifallhispatientsdesertedhim;sonoonetookoffensewhenheexpressedhereticalnotions.HehadaheartysympathyforMr.Wilson,theCongregationalminister,whooffendedsomeofhisparishionersbyanoutwardaspectofpovertyinspiteofhismunificentsalaryoffivehundreddollarsayear.

"Thedoctor"sgotqueernotions,"mutteredMrs.Slocum."Ifhetalksthatway,mebbetheministerwillgetdiscontented.ButasIsaytoDeaconSlocum,there"smoretobehad,andyoungermen,too.Isometimesthinktheminister"soutlivedhisusefulnesshere.Ayoungmanmightkinderstirupthepeoplemore,andmake"emfeelmoreconvictedofsin.ButImustgoandtellthefolksaboutthenewschoolteacher.I"dliketoseewhatsortsheis."

Mrs.

Slocum"scuriositywasgratified.OnherwaybackfromthestoreshesawMissFrostsittingattheopenwindowofherchamberinthehotel.

"Looksasifshemightbeproud,"mutteredtheoldlady."Fondofdress,too.Idon"tbelieveshe"lldoforGranville."

AlthoughMrs.SlocumwasinahurrytogethomeshecouldnotresistthetemptationtocallatSquireHadley"sandlethimknowthattheschoolteacherhadarrived.SquireBenjaminHadleywasthechairmanoftheSchoolCommittee.

EitherofthetwoGranvilleministerswouldhavebeenbetterfittedfortheoffice,buttheMethodistswereunwillingtoelecttheCongregationalminister,andtheMethodistministerwasopposedbymembersoftheotherparish.SoSquireHadleywasappointedasthecompromisecandidate,althoughhewasamanwhowouldprobablyhavefounditextremelydifficulttopassthemostlenientexaminationhimself.Hehadleftschoolattwelveyearsofage,andcircumstanceshadpreventedhisrepairingthedefectsofearlyinstruction.

Thereweretimeswhenhewastroubledbyasecretsenseofincompetence——

notablywhenhewascalledupontoexamineteachers.Hehadmanagedtomeetthisemergencyrathercleverly,ashethought,havingpersuadedMr.Wilsontodrawupforhimaseriesofquestionsinthedifferentbranches,togetherwiththecorrectanswers.Withthisassistancehewasabletoacquithimselfcreditably.

"Can"tstayaminute,Squire,"saidMrs.Slocum,standingonthebroad,flatdoorstone."IthoughtI"djeststopan"tellyetheschoolteacherhascome."

"Whereisshe?"askedtheSquire,inatoneofinterest.

"Sheputupatthehotel.Iwastherejestnow,andsawhertwotrunks.Ratherhightonedforaschoolteacher,Ithink.Wedon"tneedtwotrunksforourclothes,Mrs.Hadley."

"Youngpeopleareterribleextravagantnowadays,"saidMrs.Hadley,atallwoman,withathin,hatchet-likeface,andasharpnose.Itwasn"tsowhenIwasyoung."

"That"sagoodwhileago,Lucretia,"saidtheSquire,jokingly.

"You"reolderthanIam,"saidtheladytartly."Itdon"tbecomeyoutosneeratmyage."

"I

didn"tmeananything,Lucretia,"saidherhusbandinanapologetictone.

"Didyouseethewoman,Mrs.Slocum?"askedMrs.Hadley,condescendingtoletthematterdrop.

"I

jestsawherlookingoutofthewindow,"saidMrs.Slocum."Lookslikeavain,conceitedsort."

"Verylikelysheis.Mr.Hadleyengagedherwithoutknowin"anythin"abouther."

"Youknow,Lucretia,shewashighlyrecommendedbyMaryBridgmanintheletterIreceivedfromher,"theSquiremildlyprotested.

"MaryBridgman,indeed!"hiswiferetortedwithscorn."Whatdoessheknowofwho"sfittoteachschool?"

"Well,wemustgiveherafairshow.I"llcallroundtothehotelaftertea,andseeher."

"It"sherplacetocallhere,Ishouldsay,"saidtheSquire"swife,influencedbyadesiretoseeandjudgethestrangerforherself.

"I

willtellhertocallheretomorrowmorningtobeexamined,"saidtheSquire.

"Whathourdoyouthinkyou"llapp"int?"askedMrs.Slocum,withavagueideaofbeingpresentonthatoccasion.

TheSquirefathomedherdesign,andanswereddiplomatically,"Ishallhavetofindoutwhenit"llbemostconvenientforMissFrost."

"Herconvenience,indeed!"ejaculatedhiswife."IshouldsaythattheSchoolCommittee"sconveniencewasmoreimportantthanhers.Likeasnotsheknowsmoreaboutdressthanshedoesaboutwhatyou"veengagedhertoteach."

"Whereisshegoingtoboard?"askedMrs.Slocum,withunabatedinterestintheimportanttopicofdiscussion.

"I

can"ttellyet."

"I

s"poseshe"dliketoliveinstyleatthehotel,soshecanshowoffherdresses."

"Itwouldtakeallherwagestopayforboardthere,"saidtheSquire.

"MebbeImighttakeher,"saidMrs.Slocum."Icouldgiveherthebackroomovertheshed."

"I

willmentionittoher,Mrs.Slocum,"saidtheSquirediplomatically,andMrs.Slocumhurriedhome.

"Youdon"treallyintendtorecommendMrs.Slocum"sasaboardingplace,Benjamin?"interrogatedhiswife."Idon"tthinkmuchoftheteacheryou"vehired,butshe"droasttodeathinthatstivedupbackroom.Besides,Mrs.Slocumistheworstcookintown.Herbreadisabominable,andIdon"twonderherfolksarealwaysailing."

"Don"tbeuneasyaboutthat,Lucretia,"saidtheSquire."IfMissFrostgoestoMrs.Slocum"stoboard,it"llhavetobeonsomebodyelse"srecommendation."

Thenewschoolteacherwassittingatthewindowinherroom,supperbeingover,whenthelandladycameuptoinformherthatSquireHadleyhadcalledtoseeher.

"HeisthechairmanoftheSchoolCommittee,isn"the?"askedthestranger.

"Yes,miss."

"ThenwillyoubekindenoughtotellhimthatIwillbedowndirectly?"

SquireHadleywassittinginarockingchairinthestiffhotelparlor,whenMissFrostentered,andsaidcomposedly,"Mr.Hadley,Ibelieve?"

Sheexhibitedmoreselfpossessionthanmighthavebeenexpectedofoneinherposition,inthepresenceofofficialimportance.Therewasnottheslightesttraceofnervousnessinhermanner,thoughshewasawarethattheportlypersonbeforeherwastoexamineintoherqualificationsforthepostshesought.

"I

apprehend,"saidSquireHadley,inatoneofdignitywhichhealwaysputonwhenheaddressedteachers,"IapprehendthatyouareMissMabelFrost."

"Youarequiteright,sir.Iapprehend,"sheadded,withaslightsmile,"thatyouarethechairmanoftheSchoolCommittee."

"Youapprehendcorrectly,MissFrost.ItaffordsmegreatpleasuretowelcomeyoutoGranville."

"Youareverykind,"saidMabelFrostdemurely.

"Itisaresponsible,office——ahem!——thatofinstructorofyouth,"saidtheSquire,withlaboredgravity.

"I

hopeIappreciateit."

"Haveyouever——ahem!——taughtbefore?

"Thiswillbemyfirstschool."

"This——ahem!——isagainstyou,butItrustyoumaysucceed."

"I

trustso,sir,"

"Youwillhavetopassanexaminationinthestudiesyouaretoteach——

beforeME,"saidtheSquire.

"I

hopeyoumayfindmecompetent,"saidMabelmodestly,"I

hopeso,MissFrost;myexaminationwillbesearching.Ifeelitmydutytothetowntobeverystrict."

"Wouldyouliketoexaminemenow,Mr.Hadley?"

"No,"saidtheSquirehastily,"no,no——Ihaven"tmypaperswithme.Iwilltroubleyoutocometomyhousetomorrowmorning,atnineo"clock,ifconvenient."

"Certainly,sir.MayIaskwhereyourhouseis?"

"Myboyshallcallforyouinthemorning."

"Thankyou."

Mabelspokeasifthisterminatedthecolloquy,butSquireHadleyhadsomethingmoretosay.

"I

thinkwehavesaidnothingaboutyourwages,MissFrost,"heremarked.

"Youcanpaymewhateverisusual,"saidMabel,withapparentindifference.

"Wehaveusuallypaidsevendollarsaweek."

"Thatwillbequitesatisfactory,sir."

SoonafterSquireHadleyhadleftthehotelMabelFrostwentslowlyuptoherroom.

"SoIamtoearnsevendollarsaweek,"shesaidtoherself.

"Thisiswealthindeed!"Chapter2

Itistimetoexplainthatthenewschoolteacher"snamewasnotMabelFrost,butMabelFrostFairfax,andthatshehadsoughtasituationatGranvillenotfromnecessitybutfromchoice——indeedfromsomethingverymuchlikeawhim.Herswasadecidedlycuriouscase.Shehadalltheadvantagesofwealth.Shehadyouth,beauty,andrefinement.Shehadtheentreetothemagicinnercircleofmetropolitansociety.Andyettherewasinheraneverpresentsenseofsomethinglacking.

Shehadgrownwearyoftheslaveryoffashion.Youngasshewas,shehadbeguntoknowitshollowness,itsutterinsufficiencyastheobjectofexistence.Shesoughtsometruerinterestinlife.Shehadfailedtosecurehappiness,shereasoned,becausethusfarshehadlivedonlyforherself.Whyshouldshenotlive,inpartatleast,forothers?Whynottakehershareoftheworld"swork?

Shewasanorphan,andhadalmostnofamilyties.Theexperimentthatshecontemplatedmightbeanoriginalandunconventionalone,butshedeterminedtotryit.

Butwhatcouldshedo?

Itwasnatural,perhaps,thatsheshouldthinkofteaching.Shehadbeenfortunateenoughtograduateataschoolwheretheusefulaswellastheornamentalreceiveditsshareofattention,andhernaturalgifts,aswellasstudioushabits,hadgivenherthefirstplaceamongherschoolmates.

ThesuggestionthattheopportunityshesoughtmightbefoundinGranvillecamefromtheMaryBridgmantowhomSquireHadleyreferred.Marywasadressmaker,bornandrearedinGranville,whohadcometoNewYorktoestablishherselfthereinherlineofbusiness.MabelFairfaxhadforyearsbeenoneofhercustomers,and——assometimeshappenswithsocietygirlsandtheirdressmakers——hadmadeheraconfidante.AndsoithappenedthatMarywasthefirstpersontowhomMissFairfaxtoldherresolutiontodosomethinguseful.

"Buttellme,"sheadded,"whatshallIdo?Youarepractical.

Youknowmewell.WhatamIfitfor?"

"I

hardlyknowwhattosay,MissFairfax,"saidthedressmaker."Yourtrainingwouldinterferewithmanythingsyouarecapableofdoing.Icandobutonething."

"Andthatyoudowell."

"I

thinkIdo,"saidMary,withnofalsemodesty."Ihavefoundmypathinlife.Itwouldbetoohumbleforyou."

"Nottoohumble.Idon"tthinkIhaveanyprideofthatkind;butInevercouldtoleratetheneedle.Ihaven"tthepatience,Isuppose."

"Wouldyouliketeaching?"

"I

havethoughtofthat.ThatiswhatIam,perhaps,bestfittedfor;butIdon"tknowhowtogoaboutit."

"Wouldyoubewillingtogointothecountry?"

"I

shouldpreferit.IwishtogosomewherewhereIamnotknown."

"Thenitmightdo,"saidMary,musingly.

"Whatmightdo?"

"Letmetellyou.IwasbornawayupinthenorthernpartofNewHampshire,inasmallcountrytown,withnoparticularattractionsexceptthatitliesnotfarfromthemountains.Ithasneverhadmorethanaveryfewsummervisitors.OnlyyesterdayIhadaletterfromGranville,andtheymentionedthatthecommitteewerelookingoutforateacherforthegrammarschool,whichwastobeginintwoweeks."

"Theverything,"saidMabelquickly."DoyouthinkIcouldobtaintheplace?"

"I

don"tthinkanyonehasbeenengaged.Iwillwriteifyouwishmeto,andseewhatcanbedone."

"I

wishyouwould,"saidMabelpromptly.

"Doyouthink,MissFairfax,youcouldbecontenttopassthesummerinsuchaplace,workinghard,andperhapswithoutappreciation?"

"I

should,atallevents,beatwork;Ishouldfeel,forthefirsttimeinmylife,thatIwasofusetosomebody."

"Thereisnodoubtofthat.Youwouldfindagooddealtobedone;toomuch,perhaps."

"Bettertoomuchthantoolittle."

"IfthatisyourfeelingIwillwriteatonce.Haveyouanydirectionstogiveme?"

"Sayaslittleaspossibleaboutme.Iwishtobejudgedonmyownmerits."

"ShallIgiveyourname?"

"Onlyinpart.LetmebeMabelFrost."

ThuswasthewayopenedforMabel"sappearanceinGranville.MaryBridgman"srecommendationprovedeffectual."Shewaseducatedhere;sheknowswhatwewant,"saidSquireHadley;andheauthorizedtheengagement.

Whenthematterwasdecided,apracticaldifficultyarose.ThoughMabelhadanabundantwardrobe,shehadlittlethatwassuitedfortheschoolmistressofGranville.

"Ifyouweretowearyourlastseason"sdresses——thoseyoutooktoNewport,"saidMaryBridgman,"youwouldfrighteneverybodyatGranville.Therewouldbenoendofgossip."

"Nodoubtyouareright,"saidMabel."Iputmyselfinyourhands.MakemehalfadozendressessuchasyouthinkIoughttohave.Thereisonlyaweek,butyoucanhireextrahelp."

Thedresseswerereadyintime.Theywereplainfortheheiress,buttherewasstillreasontothinkthatMissFrostwouldbebetterdressedthananyofherpredecessorsinoffice,partlybecausetheywerecutinthestyleoftheday,andpartlybecauseMabelhadagracefulfigure,whichallstylesbecame.ThoughMaryBridgman,whoknewGranvilleanditsinhabitants,hadsomemisgivings,itneveroccurredtoMabelthatshemightbeconsideredoverdressed,andthetwotrunks,whichledMrs.Slocumtopronouncehera"vain,conceitedsort,"reallyseemedtoherverymoderate.

AthalfpasteightinthemorningafterMissFrost"sarrivalinGranvilleBenHadleycalledatthehotelandinquiredforthenewschoolteacher.

"I

guessyoumeanMissFrost,"saidthelandlord.

"I

don"tknowwhathernameis,"saidBen."Dadwantshertocomeroundandbeexamined."

Benwasastoutboy,withlargecapacitiesformischief.Hewasbrightenough,ifhecouldonlymakeuphismindtostudy,butappearedtoconsidertimespentoverhisbooksaspracticallywasted.Physicallyandintemperamentheresembledhisfathermorethanhismother,andthiswasfortunate.Mrs.Hadleywasthinlippedandacid,withalargemeasureofselfishnessandmeanness.Herhusbandwaspompous,andoverestimatedhisownimportance,buthiswife"sfaultswereforeigntohisnature.Hewaslikedbymostofhisneighbors;andBen,inhisturn,inspiteofhismischievoustendencies,wasapopularboy.Inonerespecthewasunlikehisfather.Hewasthoroughlydemocratic,andneverputonairs.