the rest. I'd
rather mother would know just how you feel about it," said Dan, with a
sigh for the honesty which he felt to be not immediately attainable in
his own case.

"Well, I'll see what can be done," Eunice finally assented.

Whatever her feelings were in regard to the matter, she must have
satisfied herself that the situation was not to be changed by her
disliking it, and she began to talk so sympathetically with Dan that
she soon had the whole story of his love out of him. They laughed a
good deal together at it, but it convinced her that he had not been
hoodwinked into the engagement. It is always the belief of a young man's
family, especially his mother and sisters, that unfair means have been
used to win him, if the family of his betrothed are unknown to them; and
it was a relief, if not exactly a comfort, for Eunice Mavering to find
that Alice was as great a simpleton as Dan, and perhaps a sincerer
simpleton.

XXXII.

A week later, in fulfilment of the arrangement made by Mrs. Pasmer and
Eunice Mavering, Alice and her mother returned the formal visit of Dan's
people.

While Alice stood before the mirror in one of the sumptuously furnished
rooms assigned them, arranging a ribbon for the effect upon Dan's mother
after dinner, and regarding its relation to her serious beauty, Mrs.
Pasmer came out of her chamber adjoining, and began to inspect the
formal splendour of the place.

"What a perfect man's house!" she said, peering about. "You can see that
everything has been done to order. They have their own taste; they're
artistic enough for that--or the father is--and they've given orders to
have things done so and so, and the New York upholsterer has come up and
taken the measure of the rooms and done it. But it isn't like New York,
and it isn't individual. The whole house is just like those girls'
tailor-made costumes in character. They were made in New York, but they
don't wear them with the New York style; there's no more atmosphere
about them than if they were young men dressed up. There isn't a thing
lacking in the house here; there's an awful completeness; but even
the ornaments seem laid on, like the hot and cold water. I never saw a
handsomer, more uninviting room than that drawing room. I suppose the
etching will come some time after supper. What do you think of it all,
Alice?"

"Oh, I don't know. They must be very rich," said the girl indifferently.

"You can't tell. Country people of a