There were a few moments of embarrassed silence, when Professor Mainwaring reappeared.
"Miss McLeod cannot be in this train," said he. "Shall we wait here for the next? It will be down in an hour."
"This is Miss McLeod, Professor Mainwaring," said Miss Atwood, hardly conscious of the ungracious manner in which she effected the introduction.
Mr. Mainwaring bowed with his usual ceremonious politeness; but he said not a word, and his lips closed with a firmer compression than usual. He was too indignant and astonished to speak. He wondered if his old benefactor had quite lost his senses that he should permit his young daughter to go about dressed in that outrageous costume. And he did not see with what propriety he, the guide and controller of more than a hundred young men, who required all the power of his example and authority to keep them in proper order, could be asked to teach, or in any way have his name connected with that of a Bloomer. He was more than half inclined to walk away; but, restraining himself, he observed that the carriage was waiting, and had instinctively half turned to Miss McLeod to offer her his arm, but, catching another glimpse of the costume, in itself a sort of a declaration of independence, and remembering having seen a number of students lingering around the depot, he bowed hastily and led the way to the carriage.
Miss McLeod's manner had all the time been very composed and quiet. She could not help observing that her greeting was not a very warm one; but this was her first absence from home, and her thoughts were so full of those she had left behind that she was not fully conscious of all that was passing around her. She seated herself in the carriage, and, after answering the few formal questions addressed to her by her companions, she sank with them into a silence that remained unbroken until they reached Mrs. Atwood's door.
Declining Miss Atwood's invitation to walk in, Professor Mainwaring bade them good-evening, murmuring something hastily about seeing Miss McLeod again soon, and walked off, glad to be released even for a moment from his distasteful duty of attendance.
Miss Atwood ushered her companion into the drawing-room, and then went to seek her mother. She found her in the kitchen giving directions to a new cook about the preparations for tea. She beckoned her into the dining-room.
"She's come, mother," said Jane, with wide-open eyes.
"Yes, dear, I know it. Go and stay with her; I will come in in a minute."
"She's a Bloomer!" continued Jane, unheeding the maternal bidding.