So it was due to the lessons of far-away Ninian that this escapade was kept out of the city papers and Madame Mearsom spared the chagrin of seeing it in print. How it affected her when, a half-hour later the runaways were once more safely in her presence, they were yet to learn. At present, all she did was to thank Ephraim for his escort of the girls and to offer repayment of the carriage hire.
“No, ma’am, I thank you. There’s nobody beholden. I’ve got a good job now, a-teachin’ customers to shoot in a shooting-gallery up town. My hours are from seven till ’leven and I must be goin’. About what time of day is it most convenient for you to have me visit ‘Little Captain.’”
Madame’s countenance underwent a curious change. One could not say just what this was, yet old “Forty-niner” felt that he had not pleased. Her answer was disappointing:
“Our pupils are at liberty to receive their friends once a week, on Thursday afternoons, from four till six. Good evening. Young ladies, attend me, please.”
Mr. Marsh went away a perplexed man. He had remained behind in New York simply to be near his beloved girl. If he was to be allowed to visit her but once a week and then in presence of other people, including that stately Madame—as her words seemed to imply—there wasn’t going to be much comfort for either him or Jessica.
“But I’ll stay, all the same. The idee! Only part of a day under that woman’s care an’ the care so slack ’t my little miss landed in a station-house! More’n that, though she seemed dreadful relieved to get her scholars safe back again, I ’low that schoolma’am isn’t apt to give ’em no great shakes of a supper. Wish Jessie was going home with me now to Sophia Badger’s fried oysters. Early in the season for ’em, the market man said, but I’ll relish ’em. That’s one good thing about the east and as poor in Californy—oysters is plenty here and scurce there. Heigho! What next’ll happen, I wonder.”
Left at the Adelphi Jessica felt once more forsaken. As soon as they had reached her own private sitting-room, Madame Mearsom made each pupil tell her story, that by this triple repetition she might arrive at the exact truth. When they had finished, she said:
“Aubrey, you are the one most at fault. You will retire to your room where supper will be sent you. You will be put in ‘solitude’ for a week and you will not go out of doors, except to take your exercise in the garden, during the same length of time.
“Natalie, you may go below and ask a maid to serve you, though it is long past the regular supper hour. You will then retire to your room, study the lessons for to-morrow, and remain there for the rest of the evening. During the week of Aubrey’s confinement you are to have as little to do with her as is consistent with good breeding and the duties of your form.
“Jessica, you will remain with me. I have not yet had my own supper and you may share it. I will also improve the opportunity for examining you as to your scholarship.