fable to her and her sister; had called twice during the
summer; and had said nothing. But what was there for her to say? The
hint must come from the other side; and Mrs. Hawley-Crowles could have
wept with chagrin as she reflected gloomily on her own timorous
spirit.

But as she stood in dejection before the window a vague idea flitted
into her brain, and she clutched at it desperately. Carmen had spoken
of the frequent calls of a certain Monsignor Lafelle at the Beaubien
mansion, although the girl had never met him. Now why did he go there?
"Humph!" muttered Mrs. Hawley-Crowles. "Old Gaspard de Beaubien was a
French Catholic."

But what had that to do with Carmen? Nothing--except--why, to be sure,
the girl came from a Catholic country, and therefore was a Catholic!
Mrs. Hawley-Crowles chuckled. That was worth developing a little
further. "Let us see," she reflected, "Kathleen Ames is coming out
this winter, too. Just about Carmen's age. Candidate for her mother's
social position, of course. Now the Ames family are all Presbyterians.
The Reverend Darius Borwell, D.D., L.L.D., and any other D. that will
keep him glued to his ten-thousand-dollar salary, hooked them early in
the game. Now suppose--suppose Lafelle should tell the Beaubien
that--that there's--no, that won't do! But suppose I tell him that
here's a chance for him to back a Catholic against a Protestant for
the highest social honors in New York--Carmen versus Kathleen--what
would he say? Humph! I'm just as good a Catholic as Protestant. Jim
was Irish--clear through. And Catholic, Methodist, or Hard-shell
Baptist, as suited his needs. He played 'em all. Suppose I should tip
it off to Lafelle that I'm smitten with the pious intention of
donating an altar to Holy Saints Cathedral in memory of my late,
unlamented consort--what then? It's worth considering, anyway. Yes,
it's not a bad idea at all."

And thus it was that a few days later Mrs. Hawley-Crowles timed it so
carefully that she chanced to call on the Beaubien with Carmen shortly
after Monsignor Lafelle's car had pulled up at the same door. It was
the merest accident, too, that Carmen led her puffing guardian
directly into the morning room, where sat the Beaubien and Monsignor
in earnest conversation. Mrs. Hawley-Crowles would have retired at
once, stammering apologies, and reprimanding Carmen for her assumption
of liberties in another's house; but the Beaubien was grace and
cordiality itself, and she