at Ames had drawn Marcia a little
apart, urged Hayden to come and sit beside her tea-table and let her brew
him a cup of fresh tea.

"It's really a rest for me, Mr. Hayden," she said pathetically, "for
truly, it is very little rest I get. This big house to look after--Marcia
is not the least assistance to me in housekeeping--and a daughter on one's
mind." She sighed heavily. "It is enough to make Mr. Oldham turn over in
his grave if he could see all the care and responsibility that is thrown
on my shoulders. He couldn't endure the thought of such a thing. He
always said to me: 'Those little feet were made to tread on flowers.' He
was so absurd about my feet, you know. Not that they are anything
remarkable; but I'm from the South, Mr. Hayden, and it's only natural
that I should have beautiful feet.

"But then, as I often told him, he was just so constituted that he could
see nothing in me but absolute perfection. Why, do you know, one of my
eyes has a slight, oh, a very slight defect, you have probably not
noticed it. Well, we had been married for years before he ever saw it. I
happened to mention it and he simply would not believe me until I
convinced him by standing before him in a very strong light with my eyes
wide open. Do let me give you a little more tea. No? Then some sugar or
lemon, just to freshen up a bit what you have. How handsome Marcia and
Wilfred look standing together, she is so dark and he is so fair. He is a
dear fellow and so steady and sedate. I love him like a son, and I
consider his influence over Marcia excellent.

"She is, of course, the dearest thing in the world to me, Mr. Hayden. You
will understand that, but I feel a mother's solicitude, and she has
certain traits which I fear may become exaggerated faults. She is
inclined to be head-strong, heedless, wilful, and I'm afraid, sweet as
Mrs. Hampton and Mrs. Habersham are--dear girls! I love them like my own
daughters--that they encourage Marcia in her defiance of proper authority
and her dreadful extravagance. But," sighing, "she is young and pretty
and she does not think; although Mr. Oldham used often to say: 'Marcia
will never have her mother's beauty.' What do you think of such an
absurdity?"

"I think if Diogenes had met Mr. Oldham he would have blown out his light
and gone back to the seclusion of his bath-tub for the rest of his life."

"Oh!" Mrs. Oldham looked puzzled. "Oh, Diogenes! Oh, yes, searching for
an honest man. Mr. Hayden