. She had been out, attending a special meeting of
the Chapter, and had hastened upstairs without stopping to take off her
wraps.

"Daniel, Daniel, wake up!" she cried.

The captain groaned. "Hey! what is it?" he asked sleepily. Then, with a
little more interest, "Is the house afire?"

"No, no, but do wake up and listen. I've had the greatest honor done me.
You will hardly believe it. The delegates to the Atterbury Convention
were elected to-night. Annette Black is one--I just KNEW she'd win--and
Mrs. Lake is another, and who do you suppose is the third?"

Captain Dan sat up in bed. "Not you?" he shouted.

"Yes, I. And, more than that, I was the one selected to read a paper
there. Annette expected to do that, but, when it came to the vote, my
last paper, the one I read Thursday night, the one Cousin Percy helped
me so in preparing, was selected over all the rest. The vote was nearly
two to one. I am to read it on the second day of the Convention. Isn't
it wonderful! Annette was so jealous she hardly said good-night to me.
But I don't care. There, Daniel Dott! aren't you proud of your wife?"

There was a little hesitation in her husband's manner, and yet he tried
his best to be enthusiastic. "Oh, yes," he said, "but then I was proud
of you before, Serena. But--but what does this mean? Have you and I got
to traipse way over to Atterbury?"

"Not you. You're not going. None of the men are. This is a women's
convention. Men are not invited."

"I know. But I've got to go there with you. You ain't goin' off
travelin' by yourself."

"I'm going with the other Chapter delegates; we will travel together."

"I want to know! How long are you goin' to be gone?"

"I'm not sure. Three or four days probably."

"And I've got to stay here alone?"

"Why, you won't be alone. Cousin Percy will be here, and there's Azuba."

"Yes, and that everlastin' Hapgood, I suppose. Say, Serena, have you GOT
to go?"

"Got to? Why, I WANT to! It's an honor. Don't you want me to go?"

"Why--why, I suppose I do; but--but--"

"But, what? Oh, you DON'T want me to go! I can see--and I thought you'd
be so glad!"

She was almost in tears. Daniel's sensitive conscience smote him once
more. "Land sakes!" he protested. "Of course I want you to go, Serena! I
wouldn't have you do anything else for the world. I--I was just kind of
lonesome, that's all. I get that way sometimes, lately. Seems as if you
and I don't see as much of each other as we us