quotation from a paper read at the most recent
Chapter meeting, she walked from the room. Her astonished parents looked
at each other. Daniel was the first to speak.

"My soul and body!" he gasped. "What--what--Serena, did you hear what
she said? That about John? That he was a good fellow--in his way? In his
WAY! My soul and body!"

Serena shook her head.

"I--I don't believe she meant it, Daniel," she said. "I'm sure
she didn't. She's just a little carried away, that's all. All this
society--this altered social position of ours--has turned her head the
least bit. She didn't mean it. I'll have another talk with her pretty
soon."

"I should say you'd better. Serena, do you know what I've done? Done on
my own hook, I mean. I've written--"

He paused. The disclosure which, on the impulse of the moment, he had
been about to make was, for him, a serious one. He had written the
letter "on his own hook," without telling his wife of his action. What
would she say if he told her now, so long afterward?

"You've done? What have you done?" asked Serena sharply.

The captain still hesitated. Before his mind was made up the front
door opened and Cousin Percy made his appearance. He entered the hall
quickly, and to Mr. Hapgood--who hastened from somewhere or other to
take his coat and hat--he said nothing, except to snarl a comment on
the butler's slowness. He did not speak to the Dotts either, but tramped
savagely up the stairs. His face, as seen by the electric light, was
flushed and frowning.

Serena turned to her husband.

"How cross he looked," she said, wonderingly. "I never saw him so
before. What do you suppose has happened?"

Speculation concerning Cousin Percy's evident perturbation caused her
to forget the disclosure Captain Dan had been about to make. By the time
she remembered to ask about it the captain had decided not to tell. He
fabricated some excuse or other, and the excuse was accepted, to his
great relief.

None of the Dott household attended the Wainwright recital. Mr. Holway
called on Wednesday, just after luncheon, to say that he had obtained
the necessary cards, but his kindness went for nought. He stayed, so
it seemed to Daniel, a good deal longer than was necessary, and Mr.
Hungerford, who remained in the room every moment of the time, evidently
thought so, too. So did Serena. Gertrude, however, was very cordial, and
again begged the visitor not to hurry.

Saturday evening was that of the Ch