happy as any woman could be who had arrived
at an important stage of her journey and could see a little way ahead
with some degree of clearness.

Let us look at her as she stands by the door waiting to overhaul Mrs.
Nesbit. A fine figure of a woman, Margaret Fenn makes there--in her late
twenties, with large regular features, big even teeth, clear brown
eyes--not bold at all, yet why do they seem so? Perhaps because she is
so sure and firm and unhesitating. Her skin is soft and fair as a
child's, bespeaking health and good red blood. The good red blood shows
in her lips--red as a wicked flower, red and full and as shameless as a
dream. Taller than Mrs. Nesbit she stands, and her clothes hang to her
in spite of the fullness of the fashion, in most suggestive lines. She
seems to shine out of her clothes a lustrous, shimmering figure, female
rather than feminine, and gorgeous rather than lovely. Margaret Fenn is
in full bloom; not a drooping petal, not a bending stamen, not a wilted
calyx or bruised leaf may be seen about her. She is a perfect flower
whose whole being--like that of a flower at its full--seems eager,
thrilling, burning with anticipation of the perfect fruit.

She puts out her hands--both of her large strong hands, so well-gloved
and well-kept, to Mrs. Nesbit. Surely Mrs. Fenn's smile is not a
make-believe smile; surely that is real pleasure in her voice; surely
that is real joy that lights up her eyes. And why should they not be
real? Is not Mrs. Nesbit the one person in all Harvey that Margaret Fenn
would delight to honor? Is not Mrs. Nesbit the dowager empress of
Harvey, and the social despot of the community? And is not Mrs. Nesbit
smiling at the eldest Miss Morton, she of the Longfellow school, who is
trying on a traveling hat, and explaining that she always wanted a
traveling hat and suit alike so that she could go to the Grand Canyon if
she could ever save up enough money, but she could never seem to afford
it? Moreover is not Mrs. Nesbit in a beneficent frame of mind?

"Well," smiles the eyes and murmurs the voice, and glows the face of the
young woman, and she puts out her hand. "Mrs. Nesbit--so glad I'm sure.
Isn't it lovely here? Mrs. Herdicker is so effective."

"Mrs. Fenn,--" this from the dowager, and the eyebrow that Mrs. Fenn
gave to Mrs. Hogan, and Mrs. Hogan gave to Mrs. Van Dorn and Mrs. Van
Dorn gave to Mrs. Brotherton and Mrs. Brotherton gave to Mrs. Calvin
who, George says, is an ol