nning apt and
sensible remarks about the business situation for Mason and Mr.
Winslow. As the maid opened the door Carl was wondering if he would be
able to touch Ruth's hand under the table. He had an anticipatory
fondness for all of the small friendly family group which was about to
receive him.

And he was cast into a den of strangers, most of them comprised in the
one electric person of Aunt Emma Truegate Winslow.

Aunt Emma Truegate Winslow was the general-commanding in whatsoever
group she was placed by Providence (with which she had strong
influence). At a White House reception she would pleasantly but firmly
have sent the President about his business, and have taken his place
in the receiving line. Just now she sat in a pre-historic S chair,
near the center of the drawing-room, pumping out of Phil Dunleavy most
of the facts about his chiefs' private lives.

Aunt Emma had the soul of a six-foot dowager duchess, and should have
had an eagle nose and a white pompadour. Actually, she was of medium
height, with a not unduly maternal bosom, a broad, commonplace face,
hair the color of faded grass, a blunt nose with slightly enlarged
pores, and thin lips that seemed to be a straight line when seen from
in front, but, seen in profile, puffed out like a fish's. She had a
habit of nodding intelligently even when she was not listening, and
another habit of rubbing her left knuckles with the fingers of her
right hand. Not imposing in appearance was Aunt Emma Truegate Winslow,
but she was born to discipline a court.

An impeccable widow was she, speaking with a broad A, and dressed
exquisitely in a black satin evening gown.

By such simple-hearted traits as being always right about unimportant
matters and idealistically wrong about important matters, politely
intruding into everything, being earnest about the morality of the
poor and auction bridge and the chaperonage of nice girls, possessing
a working knowledge of Wagner and Rodin, wearing fifteen-dollar
corsets, and believing on her bended knees that the Truegates and
Winslows were the noblest families in the Social Register, Aunt Emma
Truegate Winslow had persuaded the whole world, including even her
near-English butler, that she was a superior woman. Family tradition
said that she had only to raise a finger to get into really smart
society. Upon the death of Ruth's mother, Aunt Emma had taken it as
one of her duties, along with symphony concerts and committees, to