of a house was full
of valuable things, but his problem was hardest of all; for having to
a sad degree lost his faith in men and things, he found no use for it.
Judge Russell sighed for the good old days; but it was a gentle sigh,
and soon forgotten in the companionship of his beloved books.

If from one point of view the neighborhood characteristic was
sociability, its attitude toward the outsider was another matter. A
new resident must undergo a term of probation before being in any
sense accepted. Charlotte Creston, as the Wilburs' niece, was received
and freely discussed. She was only a child, and for that reason
something of a novelty in the Terrace, since the Russells and Wayland
Leigh had grown up.

Toward the shop, which divided with Charlotte the distinction of
latest comer, the feeling was decidedly antagonistic. It was as if
that monster Business had suddenly reached out from his own domain,
blocks away, and laid his hand upon their peaceful territory.

Something like a council of war took place in the Wilburs'
drawing-room several evenings before the opening. Charlotte, supposed
to be studying in the library, became an interested listener, shielded
from view by the half-drawn hangings.

Alexina Russell was the first comer. Charlotte had not yet made up
her mind about Alex, she was so different at different times. She
might have been almost as pretty as Madelaine, if she had fluffed her
hair and dressed a little less plainly. Sometimes she was full of
animation, again, as this evening, she appeared abstracted and silent.

After Miss Sarah Leigh and her aunt arrived there was no more silence;
it had no charms for either of these ladies. Charlotte had at first
felt something like contempt for a person so odd as Miss Sarah, who
wore skirts short enough to display to advantage her serviceable
shoes, and poked her head out when she walked. But if Miss Sarah had
no pretensions to beauty or style, her face was pleasant, her eyes
really fine, and her smile full of kindly humor. Charlotte learned
from Aunt Virginia that Miss Sarah had an unusual number of
distinguished ancestors, which went to show how little appearance can
be relied on in such matters.

Mrs. Leigh suggested a bit of pretty old china of a pattern grown
rare. Her eyes were bright, there was a hint of pink in her cheeks,
and the silvery puffs beneath her lace cap had the exactness born of
long years of training in the way they should go. When sh