to have Grassmere occupied
again. The lights are very pretty on your hilltop from The Homestead,
our place, you know."

"Ah, The Homestead!" The chilliness was frosty now. Edith blushed.

"Perhaps you do not recall me, Mrs. Sewall--I am Mrs. Alexander
Vars--you know. My sister----"

"Oh, yes--Mrs. Alexander Vars. I recall you quite well, Mrs. Vars.
Perfectly, in fact," she said. Then stopped short. There was a terrible
silence. It continued like a long-drawn out note on a violin.

"Oh," nervously piped out some one in the group, at last, "look at that
lovely horse! I just adore black ones!"

Mrs. Sewall raised her lorgnette and gazed at the track.

"By the way, Mrs. Jackson," she resumed, as if she had not just
slaughtered poor Edith. "By the way, can you tell me the participants
in the next event? I've left my program. So careless!" she purred. And
afterwards she smilingly accepted a proffered armchair in the midst of
the scene of her successful encounter.

It would have been thoughtful, I think, and more humane to have waited
until the wounded had been carried away--or crawled away. For there was
no one to offer a helping hand to Edith and me. I didn't expect it. In
social encounters the vanquished must look out for themselves. With what
dignity I could, I advanced towards Mrs. Jackson.

"Well, I must trot along," I said lightly. "My turn at the hurdles will
be coming soon. Come, Edith, let's go and have a look at Blue-grass.
Good-by." And leisurely, although I longed to cast down my eyes and
hasten quickly away from the staring faces, I strolled out of the box,
followed by Edith; walked without haste along the aisle, even stopping
twice to exchange a word or two with friends; and finally escaped.

CHAPTER IX

CATASTROPHE

The incident at the horse show was simply the beginning. I couldn't go
anywhere--to a tea, to the Country Club, or even down town for a
morning's shopping--and feel sure of escaping a fresh cut or insult of
some kind. Mrs. Sewall went out of her way to make occasion to meet
and ignore me. It was necessary for her to go out of her way, for we
didn't meet often by chance. I was omitted from the many dinners and
dances which all the hostesses in Hilton began to give in Miss
Oliphant's honor. I was omitted from the more intimate afternoon tea
and sewing parties. Gale attended them now, and of course it would
have been awkward.

I didn't blame my girl friends for leaving me out. I