"Out here," said Solon, "we like to know what's what." He had revived
wonderfully after his beloved _Argus_ was dropped. But at his retort the
lady merely elevated her rather fine brows and remarked, "Really, Mr.
Denney, you speak much as you write--you must not let me forget to give
you that little book I spoke of."

As we went down the stairs Solon placed "One Hundred Common Errors in
Speaking and Writing" close under his arm, adroitly shielding the title
from public scrutiny. We stood a moment in the autumn silence outside
the hotel door, watching a maple across the street, the line of its
boughs showing strong and black amid its airy yellow plumage. The still
air was full of leaves that sailed to earth in leisurely sadness. We
were both thoughtful.

"Mrs. Potts is a very alert and capable woman," I said at last, having
decided that this would be the most suitable thing to say.

"I tell you she has _powers_," said Solon, in a tone almost of awe.

"She will teach you to make something of yourself," I hazarded.

"One minute she makes me want to fight, and the next I surrender," he
answered pathetically.

We separated on this, Solon going toward the _Argus_ office with slow
steps and bowed head, while I went thoughtfully abroad to ease my nerves
by watching the splendid death of summer. Above the hills, now royally
colored, as by great rugs of brown and crimson velvet flung over their
flanks, I seemed to hear the echoes of ironic laughter--the laughter of
perverse gods who had chosen to avenge the slight put upon an inferior
Potts.

CHAPTER XI

HOW LITTLE ARCADY WAS UPLIFTED

The winter that followed proved to be a season of unrest for our town.
Mrs. Aurelia Potts was a leaven of yeast that fermented its social
waters, erstwhile calm, not to say stagnant.

Early in November an evening affair was held in her honor at the Eubanks
home. The Eubankses being our leading Presbyterians, and Mrs. Potts
having allied herself with that church, it was felt that they were best
fitted to give the lady her initial impression of Little Arcady's
society. Not only were the three Eubanks girls talented, but the mother
was a social leader, Eustace was travelled, having been one of an
excursion party to the Holy Land, and the family had relatives living in
Philadelphia. None of the girls had married, nor had Eustace. The girls,
it was said, had not wished to marry. Eustace had earnestly wished to,
it was known; but t