f. "Don't you be a
horrid wet blanket!"

The three looked at her to see her face aglow with the lovely feminine
belief in masculinity that also belongs to the early twenties.

"That's all right," said the elder Elton unemotionally. "I wasn't
wet-blanketing--I know things are needed. There's plenty of corruption
wanting to be buried, and most of us are content to hold our noses and
let it lie. Or perhaps we give an exclamation of disgust when it is
served up in the newspapers. Reform if you must, but don't reform all
day and Sundays too; and build your cellars before you begin your
attics."

Then he went on a shade more heartily: "It's a mighty good thing for
some of you young fellows to be going into politics; perhaps that's the
chief work for the next generation. And Norris--what of you?"

Ellery started. It had been a silent evening for him, but his silence
had glowed with interest, not so much in the conversation as in his own
thoughts. Two things had forced themselves home,--the first when he
looked down on that expanse of vivid water, vivid sky, vivid green. Here
a man, even a young man, might waken to all his faculties and make
something of life. He need not plod dully through years, to reach
success only when he is old and tired. The landscape poured like wine
into Ellery Norris' veins.

And now here was the other side. He had watched with fascination the
restfulness of Miss Elton's hands, the one that held her mother's, the
one that lay quietly in her lap. He watched her steady eyes that kept
upon her father and Dick as they talked. He saw her face glow with
sympathy and interest and yet remain calm, as if secure in the goodness
of the world; and he told himself that he was glad this wonderful thing
belonged to Dick. Dick's restlessness would be held in leash, as it
were, by this steadfastness.

Once she half turned as though she felt his scrutiny, and queer pains
darted through his body when her eyes met his.

Now when Mr. Elton attacked him, he came back from his far-away
excursion with a sense of surprise that there was a present, but he
smiled cheerfully.

"Oh, I'm not a very important person. I'm just beginning to learn the
trade of a newspaper man, and I'm afraid I shan't be able to think about
much but city news and bread and butter for the next few years."

"No telling what may happen, with his Honor, the mayor here, backed up
by the power of the press. We'll make St. Etienne a model city in t