out leaving a sting, "that this thing called government
only needs a good house-cleaning and the application of a few vermin
extinguishers, such as every good housekeeper knows how to administer,
to make this country a congenial habitation for the gods of the
Twentieth Century--the enlightened, progressive, responsible citizens of
a democracy. Come to the Industrial League meeting next Thursday night
and you will learn more about this than I can possibly tell you. I will
send you a card," and she gaily floated away with Dr. Orrin Morris, her
escort of the evening, who had been impatiently waiting for her for
several minutes.

Dr. Orrin Morris and Dr. John Earl were graduated from the same class in
the Harvard medical school, but Dr. Morris had immediately after
graduation settled down to the exclusive practice of surgery according
to orthodox methods, and was already regarded as one of the rising young
surgeons of New York City.

His father had met with financial reverses in 1907 that had not only
wrecked the family fortune but had carried him to an untimely grave. His
mother had been dead for some years and he had no brother or sister. He
maintained a house on East 57th Street and had much practice in two of
the prominent hospitals.

Dr. Morris presented a rather angular appearance as he strode away with
Miss Holland. He was excessively lean, of swarthy complexion, dark eyes,
black hair and a domineering air. His mother had possessed a strain of
that Spanish blood that was freely mixed with the Moors during their
occupancy of Spain, and added to the natural tendencies of the Latin
were visible some of the ear-marks of Moorish intensity. For some months
he had been paying marked attention to Miss Holland, whom he had known
in a general way for a long time, and, while she did not encourage him,
she had not thought it necessary to dismiss him, for she found him most
entertaining, as he was regarded as one of the best non-professional
violinists in New York. They had spent many agreeable evenings together
over their music, she playing the accompaniments on the piano.

His views on public questions were as set and conservative as were his
views on medicine, and she never attempted to discuss those matters with
him; the fact that she could not do so was somewhat a relief to her when
she desired to get away from her public activities.

Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey, Dr. Morris and Miss Holland, and the two young men
with other lad