luded a supper at Delmonico's after the play. It
was an expensive kind of entertainment, which she felt obliged to
justify to Wilbur by the assertion that the Williamses had been so civil
she considered it would be only decent to show attention to their
friends. She was unwilling to disclose her secret, lest the knowledge of
it might make Wilbur offish and so embarrass her efforts. There were
eight in the party, and the affair seemed to Selma to go off admirably.
She was enthralled by the idea of using her own personal magnetism to
promote her husband's business. She felt that it was just the sort of
thing she would like and was fitted for, and that here was an
opportunity for her individuality to display itself. She devoted herself
with engaging assiduity to Mr. Parsons, pleased during the active
process of propitiation by the sub-consciousness that her table was one
of the centres of interest in the large restaurant. She had dressed
herself with formal care, and nothing in the way of compliment could
have gratified her more than the remark which Mr. Parsons made, as he
regarded her appreciatively, when he had finished his supper, that she
suggested his idea of Columbia. Selma glowed with satisfaction. The
comparison struck her as apt and appropriate, and she replied with a
proud erection of her head, which imparted to her features their
transcendental look, and caused her short curl to joggle tremulously, "I
suppose I see what you mean, Mr. Parsons."

CHAPTER VII.

One evening, four or five days after this supper party, Wilbur laid down
the book which he was pretending to read, and said, "Selma, I have come
to the conclusion that I must give up dabbling in stocks. I am being
injured by it--not financially, for, as you know, I have made a few
thousand dollars--but morally."

"I thought you were convinced that it was not immoral," answered Selma,
in a constrained voice.

"I do not refer to whether speculation is justifiable in itself, but to
its effect on me as an individual--its distraction to my mind and
consequent interference with my professional work."

"Oh."

"For a year now, the greater portion of the time, I have had some
interest in the market, and as a consequence, have felt impelled to look
in on Williams and VanHorne every day--sometimes oftener. I am unable to
dismiss my speculations from my thoughts. I find myself wondering what
has happened to the stocks I am carrying, and I am satisfied that