onger. "I can't remain
another minute," she said; "I promised Mrs. Neil that I would stop in
to see her to-day. I'm sure I've bored you enough already as it
is."

She walked to the door, not troubling to look at Jennie until she
was nearly out of the room. Then she looked in her direction, and gave
her a frigid nod.

"We meet such curious people now and again," she observed finally
to her hostess as she swept away.

Mrs. Field did not feel able to defend Jennie, for she herself was
in no notable social position, and was endeavoring, like every other
middle-class woman of means, to get along. She did not care to offend
Mrs. Williston Baker, who was socially so much more important than
Jennie. She came back to where Jennie was sitting, smiling
apologetically, but she was a little bit flustered. Jennie was out of
countenance, of course. Presently she excused herself and went home.
She had been cut deeply by the slight offered her, and she felt that
Mrs. Field realized that she had made a mistake in ever taking her up.
There would be no additional exchange of visits there--that she
knew. The old hopeless feeling came over her that her life was a
failure. It couldn't be made right, or, if it could, it wouldn't be.
Lester was not inclined to marry her and put her right.

Time went on and matters remained very much as they were. To look
at this large house, with its smooth lawn and well grown trees, its
vines clambering about the pillars of the veranda and interlacing
themselves into a transparent veil of green; to see Gerhardt pottering
about the yard, Vesta coming home from school, Lester leaving in the
morning in his smart trap--one would have said that here is peace
and plenty, no shadow of unhappiness hangs over this charming
home.

And as a matter of fact existence with Lester and Jennie did run
smoothly. It is true that the neighbors did not call any more, or only
a very few of them, and there was no social life to speak of; but the
deprivation was hardly noticed; there was so much in the home life to
please and interest. Vesta was learning to play the piano, and to play
quite well. She had a good ear for music. Jennie was a charming figure
in blue, lavender, and olive-green house-gowns as she went about her
affairs, sewing, dusting, getting Vesta off to school, and seeing that
things generally were put to rights. Gerhardt busied himself about his
multitudinous duties, for he was not satisfied unless he had his h