of
entertaining so large a class of people. As it is, they have quite as
much as they care to do to make comfortable the large company who belong
to their family. And in the third place--But perhaps you do not care to
hear all the reasons?"

He ignored this question also, and went back to one of her arguments.

"They don't keep travelers away at all, even by your own admission. What
is to hinder hundreds of them from coming here to-day and buying season
tickets in order to get in to-morrow?"

He had the benefit of a most quizzical glance then from Marion's shining
eyes before she answered.

"Oh, well, if the people are really so hungering and thirsting for the
gospel, as it is dispensed at Chautauqua, that they are willing to act
a lie, by pretending that they are members _who have been and are to be
in regular attendance_, and then are willing to pay two dollars and a
half for the Sunday meeting, I don't know but I think they ought to be
allowed to _creep_ in. Don't you?"

CHAPTER XVII.

GETTING READY TO LIVE.

Amid the laughter that followed this retort the company rose up from the
table and went their various ways, to meet, perhaps, again.

"How on earth do you manage to keep so thoroughly posted in regard to
Chautauqua affairs? One would think you were the wife of the private
secretary. _I_ shouldn't have known whether the gates were to be opened
or closed to-morrow."

This from Ruth as the two girls paced the long piazza while waiting for
the carriage which was to take them to the boat; for, having exhausted
the resources of Mayville for entertainment, they were about to return
to Chautauqua.

Marion laughed.

"I'm here in the capacity of a newspaper writer, please remember," she
answered promptly, "and what I don't know I can imagine, like the rest
of that brilliant fraternity. I am not really positive about a great
many of the statements that I made, except on the general principle that
these people belong to the class who are very much given to doing
according to their printed word. It says on the circulars that the gates
will be closed on the Sabbath, and I dare say they will be. At least, we
have a right to assume such to be the case until it is proven false."

"What class of people do you mean who are given to doing as they have
agreed? Christian people, do you refer to?"

"Well, yes; the sort of Christians that one meets at such a gathering as
this. As a rule, the namby-pamby Christi