stook his own prosperity for the general benefit, he only
shared a wide public opinion which regards the accumulation of enormous
fortunes in a few hands as an evidence of national wealth.

Margaret left Washington with regret. She had a desire to linger in
the opening of the charming spring there, for the little parks were
brilliant with flower beds-tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, violets--the
magnolias and redbuds in their prodigal splendor attracted the eye a
quarter of a mile away, and the slender twigs of the trees began to be
suffused with tender green. It was the sentimental time of the year.
But Congress had gone, and whatever might be the promise of the season,
Henderson had already gathered the fruits that had been forced in the
hothouse of the session. He was in high spirits.

"It has all been so delightful, dear!" said Margaret as they rode away
in the train, and caught their last sight of the dome. They were in
Hollowell's private car, which the good-natured old fellow had put
at their disposal. And Margaret had a sense of how delightful and
prosperous this world is as seen from a private car.

"Yes," Henderson answered, thinking of various things; "it has been a
successful winter. The capital is really attractive. It occurred to
me the other day that America has invented a new kind of city, the
apotheosis of the village--Washington."

They talked of the city, of the acquaintances of the winter, of
Hollowell's thoughtfulness in lending them his car, that their bridal
trip, as he had said, might have a good finish. Margaret's heart opened
to the world. She thought of the friends at Brandon, she thought of the
poor old ladies she was accustomed to look after in the city, of the
ragged-school that she visited, of the hospital in which she was a
manager, of the mission chapel. The next Sunday would be Easter, and
she thought of a hundred ways in which she could make it brighter for so
many of the unfortunates. Her heart was opened to the world, and looking
across to Henderson, who was deep in the morning paper, she said, with a
wife's unblushing effrontery, "Dearest, how handsome you are!"

The home life took itself up again easily and smoothly in Washington
Square. Did there ever come a moment of reflection as to the nature of
this prosperity which was altogether so absorbing and agreeable? If it
came, did it give any doubts and raise any of the old questions that
used to be discussed at Brandon? Wasn't it th