While the new miss lazily arranged her wardrobe in the closet and drawers, the acquaintance progressed rapidly. Alice, with a degree of art far beyond her years, praised her companion's hair, complexion, and general appearance,—accounting herself most fortunate in being thrown in with one evidently accustomed to the best society,—and then drew from the unsuspecting teacher an account of the families in the neighborhood, with difficulty concealing her pleasure at the announcement that an academy for young men was in flood-tide of success at the other end of the village.
"Of course," she remarked in an indifferent tone, lazily arranging a box of laces to hide her eagerness, "the pupils here are allowed no intercourse with the young gentlemen?"
"Aunt Salsbury is as cautious as possible," answered Miss Farley; "but as Dr. Bowles's pupils occupy the opposite wing to ours in church, they know each other by sight, and as a number of our young ladies have brothers there, some visiting is unavoidable."
"Of course," was the careless reply.
Alice returned to her wardrobe, the school formerly so much dreaded being invested with new interest.
"What do you think of Miss Saunders?" anxiously inquired Miss Salsbury, at a late hour the same evening.
"I think she will be a great acquisition to the school," was the enthusiastic reply. "She is lovely in person, and as far as I can judge, of a bright mind."
"Yes, there is no doubt of that, Emma; but her morals,—has her conscience been cultivated quite as diligently as her personal charms?"
"I see no reason to think the contrary." Emma repeated part of the conversation, and then retired.
"I must guard against prejudice," said the preceptress to herself; "but, if I do not mistake, my unsuspicious niece has been duped by a few lies of politeness. But time will show the real character of my new pupil."