but the father’s laughter made me think that perhaps he was joking.


“‘My sole duties, then,’ I asked, ‘are to take

charge of a single child?’


“‘No, no, not the sole, not the sole, my dear young

lady,’ he cried. ‘Your duty would be, as I am sure your good sense

would suggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, provided always

that they were such commands as a lady might with propriety obey. You see no

difficulty, heh?’


“‘I should be happy to make myself useful.’


“‘Quite so. In dress now, for example. We are faddy people,

you know—faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress

which we might give you, you would not object to our little whim. Heh?’


“‘No,’ said I, considerably astonished at his words.


“‘Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive

to you?’


“‘Oh, no.’


“‘Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to

us?’


“I could hardly believe my ears. As you may observe, Mr. Holmes, my hair

is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of chestnut. It has been

considered artistic. I could not dream of sacrificing it in this offhand

fashion.


“‘I am afraid that that is quite impossible,’ said I.

He had been watching me eagerly out of his small eyes, and I could see a shadow

pass over his face as I spoke.


“‘I am afraid that it is quite essential,’ said he.

‘It is a little fancy of my wife’s, and ladies’ fancies, you

know, madam, ladies’ fancies must be consulted. And so you won’t

cut your hair?’


“‘No, sir, I really could not,’ I answered firmly.


“‘Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a

pity, because in other respects you would really have done very nicely. In that

case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a few more of your young ladies.’


“The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers without a

word to either of us, but she glanced at me now with so much annoyance upon her