aroline, who took herself more
seriously, and was busy with a dozen enterprises that had to do with
the welfare of the race, was concerned chiefly with the humanitarian
side of the undertaking and willing to deflect to it only such energy
as she felt to be essential to its scientific betterment. She was
tentatively engaged to Billy Boynton,--for what reason no one--not
even Billy--had been able to determine; since she systematically
disregarded him in relation to all the interests and activities that
went to make up her life.

The affairs of the Inn progressed rapidly. It was in the first week of
May that Nancy and Billy had their memorable discussion of her
situation. By the latter part of June, when she could be reasonably
sure of a succession of propitious days and nights, for she had set
her heart on balmy weather conditions, Nancy expected to have her
formal opening,--a dinner which not only initiated her establishment,
but submitted it to the approval of her own group of intimate friends,
who were to be her guests on that occasion.

Meantime, the most extensive and discriminating preparations were
going forward. Billy and Dick were present one afternoon by special
request when Betty and Nancy were interviewing a contingent of
waitresses.

"We've got three perfectly charming girls already," Nancy said, "that
is, girls that look perfectly charming to me, but a man's point of
view on a woman's looks is so different that I thought it would be a
good plan to have you boys look over this lot. They are all very
high-class and competent girls. The Manning Agency doesn't send any
other kind."

"Trot 'em along," Billy said; "where are they anyway?"

"In the room in front." They were in the smallest of the nest of attic
rooms that Nancy planned to make her winter quarters. "Michael
receives them, and shows them in here one by one."

"You like Michael then?" Dick asked. "I always said his talents were
hidden at our place. He has a soul above the job of handy man on a
Long Island farm."

"He's certainly a handy man here," Nancy said; "I couldn't live
without him."

"The lucky dog," Billy said, with a side glance at Dick.

"You see," Betty explained, "the girl comes in, and we ask her
questions. Then if I don't like her I take my pencil from behind my
ear, and rap against my palm with it. If Nancy doesn't like her she
says, 'You're losing a hairpin, Betty.' If we like her we rub our
hands together."

"It's a good