t you must allow me to be astonished over Flossy's
refusal to go with you. Something has come over the mousie that is not
explainable by any of the laws of science with which I am acquainted."

"Don't trouble yourself to apologize, I beg. I hope you do not think I
am so foolish as to care anything about your hints as to Saratoga. Of
course I recognize my right in this world to be governed by my own
tastes and inclinations. I have enjoyed that privilege too long to be
disturbed by trifles." This from Ruth; but I shall have to admit that it
was very stiffly spoken, and if she had but known it, indicated that she
_did_ care a great deal. In truth she was very sore over her position
and her plans. She who had prided herself on her intellectuality bored
to the very point of leaving, and Flossy, who had been remarkable for
nothing but flutter and fashion, actually so interested that she could
not be coaxed into going away! What _was_ it that interested her? That
was the question which interested and puzzled Ruth. She studied over it
during all the time that Marion and Eurie were chatting about the
morning service.

Flossy _was_ different; there was no shutting one's eyes to that fact.
The truth was that she had suddenly seemed to have little in common
with her own party. She certainly said little to them; she made no
complaints as to inconveniences, even when they amounted to positive
annoyances with the rest of the party; she had given up afternoon
toilets altogether, and in fact the subject of dress seemed to be one
that had suddenly sunken into such insignificance as to cease to claim
her thoughts at all.

Grave changes these to be found in Flossy Shipley. Then, too, she had
taken to wandering away alone in the twilight; during the short spaces
between services she was nowhere to be found, but the Chautauqua bell
brought her back invariably in time to make ready for the next service.
"There is certainly more to the little mouse than I ever expected
before. If Chautauqua wakes _our_ wits as it has Flossy's we shall have
reason to bless the day that Dr. Vincent invented it." This Ruth heard
from Marion as she roused herself from her reverie to give attention to
what the girls were saying. They had got back to a discussion of Flossy
again. It was a subject that someway annoyed Ruth, so she dismissed it,
and made ready for the afternoon meeting, whither they all went.

To Marion the morning sermon had been an intellectual t