al of it, even if they did go in for
missions. "Milly, I have you on my mind a great deal these days."

"That's so good of you, dear."

Milly thought it must be religion once more, and prepared herself.

"You ought to settle yourself.... All your friends think you should
marry, dear."

"Why?" Milly demanded with some asperity.

"Why, a girl in your position--"

"Yes, I know all that," Milly interrupted quickly.

She knew far better than Nettie Gilbert how necessary it was for her to
settle herself somehow. The bills had grown more rather than less the
last two years, and the tea and coffee importing business did not seem
to be doing what had been expected of it. There were signs of an
increasing financial stringency about Horatio. Then there were other
signs, more personal, that were not pleasant to recall. That social
career which had opened so brilliantly rather more than two years before
had been full of pleasures and excitements. For nearly a season Milly
Ridge had been the most talked of and invited girl in her special
circle. The next season she had still been "popular," but latterly at
the opening of the new season there had been a distinct falling off. The
fringe of cards about her long mirror, where she kept her invitations
tucked into the margins and pinned in pendants, had grown less
fresh--not to say stale--and less distinguished. Mrs. Bowman had
forgotten altogether to invite her to dinner this fall. There were other
stings and mortifications that need not be described.... Yes, Milly had
been pondering the matter more or less consciously for some months.

"Well," she said to Mrs. Gilbert, with a brave little smile, "what shall
I do about it?"

She recognized Nettie Gilbert's right to broach the subject. Nettie had
been her best friend, and thanks to her own experience had a
fellow-feeling for her and wished to see her launched upon a similar
successful career matrimonial.

"With all your charm, you could have married a dozen times," she said
with gentle reproach.

"But I haven't!" Milly retorted despairingly. She did not like to admit
that her opportunities had not been as numerous as it was popularly
supposed they had been. They never were, as Nettie must know from her
own experience. Yet she had had her "chances," and why hadn't she pulled
it off before this? Why had all the little flirtations with promising
young men come to nothing? Were they afraid of her lavish hand? Or had
she been wait