unmanageable predilection for scrapes and adventures, that made her
more likely to fall under the sway of Lorraine, should it promise any
chance of excitement.

And one had only to view Lorraine among the other "young ladies" of the
seminary to fear the worst. Miss Emily Walton would never have
admitted it; but even she, fondly clinging to the old tradition that
the terms "girls" or "women" are less impressive than "young ladies",
felt somehow that the orthodox nomenclature did not successfully fit
her two most remarkable pupils. Of course they were ladies by birth and
education, else they would certainly not have been admitted to so
select a seminary; but whereas the rest of the pupils might be said
more or less to study, and improve, and have their being in a milk and
biscuit atmosphere, Hal and Lorraine were quite uncomfortably more like
champagne and good, honest, frothing beer.

No amount of prunes and prism advice and surroundings seemed to dull
the sparkle in Lorraine, nor daunt nor suppress fearless, outspoken,
unmanageable Hal. In separate camps, with a nice little following
each, to keep an even balance, they might merely have livened the free
hours; but as a combination it soon became apparent they would waken up
the embryo young ladies quite alarmingly, and initiate a new atmosphere
of gaiety that might become beyond the restraining, select influence
even of the Misses Walton.

The first scare came with the new French mistress, who had a perfect
Parisian accent, but knew very little English. Of course Lorraine
easily divined this, and, being something of a French scholar already,
she soon won Mademoiselle's confidence by one or two charmingly
expressed, lucid French explanations.