asked Isabel, "is

napkin stretched upon embroidery hoops and was

etter house and have more servan

ven't enough money to change. Besides, that has been Colonel

y rich, I should think they'd have enough mon

when I spoke. I don't know anything about their private affairs. But Colonel Kent has courage,

intangible riches did n

ways," Madame was saying. "

he goin

ber, I suppose-the be

g to play e

e of any i

, "he will make a great

I do hope he will be successful." She ha

n Rose go

? What do yo

his accompaniments, providing you or the Colonel went along for chaperone, and Cousin Rose lau

suggeste

d, too, and sai

f, "and decide to take me along, I hope they'll

olonel go, i

o. It wouldn't be

remarked Isabel, wrink

ough to learn that the conventions of society are all in the interests of mora

mean, Aunt

to write another man's name on a check and cash it. It saves trouble to be conventional, for you're not always explainin

very conventional,

proceed from the most kindly and friendly instincts

ts of money,

sely, but I've never known them to go far astray. They've done foolish things, but I've never known either t

done lots of funn

eworks, carefully chosen. Of course the inevitable happened and the orphans managed to set fire to the home, but, after two hours of hard work, the place was saved. Some of the children we

ter to spend the money

r. The finest gift in

better to feed the soul

when one brief sky-roc

pairs o

ed at Madame Bernard's

nd the soft colour cam

said. "Better one pair of shoes than ten sk

ried Isabel, reverting to

do to urge them. I can only keep my windows open and

clover field?" inquir

so breezy and wholesome, so free and u

y'll come a

o be lonely, Isabel. It was good

do," observed Isabel, pla

rs. Ross was so interested in what she called "The New Thought" and "The Higher World Service" that s

ey for clothes and considered that her duty to her daughter ended there. They lived in an apartment hotel and had their coffee served in their

e matinee. She did not make friends easily and the splendid isolation common to hotels and desert islands left her stranded, socially. She had been very glad to accept Aunt Francesca's invitation, and the mother,

just begun to be influenced by the modern feminine unrest. Later she had definitely allied herself with those whose mission it is to emancipate

ld to die in. The housekeeper and chambermaids had befriended Isabel until the tour came to its triumphant conclusion. Mrs. Ross had seemed to consider the whole affair a kindly and appropriate r

reless coiffures. But the girl's passion for clothes, amounting almost to a complete "reversion to type," had at once relieved a

for dinner, changing to street gowns when necessary and doing her hair in a different way for each gown. Stil

ng. She had no fault to find with the girl's taste, but she wished to subordinate, a

work-a little uncomprehending smile. "Are you goin

yourself for an hour or so wi

u and Cousin Rose were asleep yes

dark hair, waved and coiled in quite the latest fashion.

o, took his afternoon nap, curled up cosily upon the silken quilt at the foot of his mistress's couch

le of violin music Allison had left there. Some of the sheets were torn and had been pasted together, all were marked in pencil

t Aunt Francesca's and the hours with Allison, on the veranda, when he chose to amuse himself with the pretty, credulous child. It seemed odd to have h

the mirror gave back. The bell rang and she pinned up a stray lock carefully. It was probably someone to see

m his long walk in the cold. "Silver Girl," he sm

light," answered Isabel, as he took her small

are the

ing

ring Isabel a chair. He had unconsciously dropped the

g with you o

unt Francesca along with us, and otherwise, it would be- well, unconventional,

ventional, you'll be good, negatively. It isn't good manners for a man to shoot a lady or to sign a chec

times 'the greatest good for the greate

eed, after a moment's p

have called,"

ed, with interest. "H

"They remind me of a field of red clov

. "They used to be regular little devils. I

hy

ste it. They don't

y orphan in the Orphans' Home two dollars' worth of fireworks

up. Would you rather have

give more pleasure than a pair of shoes, and the

udes, or the hesitating echo of someone's else opinion. Now he perceived that it was shyness; that Isabel had a mind

s done for you since you went out and pulled

wered, not knowing

ng for the u

like to put

s your

lectu

t ab

the Gradual Emancipation of Wo

y from home a great deal,"

seldom s

st be l

yes to his. "I live i

ured loneliness, coupled with a certain loy

it here, d

th a little sigh as she glanced about the comfortable room, "that I could always stay

remembered the long hours he had spent with

nd of music

t outside and listen when

you want to," he

the way? Won't

y not. How c

come sometimes, if I may. I

o into town to the theatre, just

," she answe

nd howled outside. In the quiet room, Allison sat and studied Isabel, with the fireli

he said, aloud; "a li

hink it will be be

ch, pink stockings, little white shoes with black buttons, and the most fetching white sunbonnet. Your hair was falling in curls all round your face and it

e had forgotten. "But,

d how I looked when

roots of the rose bushes, and, after I went home, you went and pul

ng punished for my sins. It was years afterward that

hite line on the soft flesh between her forefin

"I shall carry the

ison caught the little hand and presse