ughts which possessed him? Did
she know that she was leading him around his house, in her assumed
confidential intimacy with his wife, as she would lead a spaniel by a
silken cord? Was she aware that, as she moved side by side with Mrs.
Belcher, through the grand rooms, she was displaying herself to the best
advantage to her admirer, and that, yoked with the wifehood and
motherhood of the house, she was dragging, while he held, the plow that
was tilling the deep carpets for tares that might be reaped in harvests
of unhappiness? Would she have dropped the chain if she had? Not she.

To fascinate, and make a fool of, a man who was strong and cunning in
his own sphere; to have a hand--gloved in officious friendship--in other
lives, furnished the zest of her unemployed life. She could introduce
discord into a family without even acknowledging to herself that she had
done it wittingly. She could do it, and weep over the injustice that
charged her with it. Her motives were always pure! She had always done
her best to serve her friends! and what were her rewards? So the
victories which she won by her smiles, she made permanent by her tears.
So the woman by whose intrigues the mischief came was transformed into a
victim, from whose shapely shoulders the garment of blame slipped off,
that society might throw over them the robes of its respectful
commiseration, and thus make her more interesting and lovely than
before!

Mrs. Belcher measured very carefully, or apprehended very readily, the
kind of woman she had to deal with, and felt at once that she was no
match for her. She saw that she could not shake her off, so long as it
was her choice to remain. She received from her no direct offense,
except the offense of her uninvited presence; but the presence meant
service, and so could not be resented. And Mrs. Belcher could be of so
much service to her! Her life was so lonely--so meaningless! It would be
such a joy to her, in a city full of shams, to have one friend who would
take her good offices, and so help to give to her life a modicum of
significance!

After a full survey of the rooms, and a discussion of the beauties and
elegancies of the establishment, they all descended to the dining-room,
and, in response to Mrs. Dillingham's order, were served with tea.

"You really must excuse me, Mrs. Belcher," said the beautiful lady
deprecatingly, "but I have been here for a week, and it seems so much
like my own home, that I order