et. That's why he likes to come here; I try
to help him forget, for an hour, once in a while, at 'candle-lightin'
time.'"

"I see," murmured Mary Alice.

The man was one of those great world-powers of finance whose
transactions filled columns of the newspapers and were familiar to
almost every school child.

That night when Godmother was tucking Mary Alice in, they had a long,
long talk about the caller of the afternoon and about some other people
Godmother knew, and about how sad a thing it is to take for granted
about any person certain qualities we think must go with his estate.

"And now," said Godmother, "I'm going to tell you the Secret."

And she did. Then turned out the light, kissed Mary Alice one more
time, and left her to think about it.

V

GOING TO THE PARTY

"Now," said Godmother, the very next morning after she had told Mary
Alice the Secret, "to see how it _works_! This evening I am going to
take you to a most delightful place."

"What kind of a place?" Mary Alice begged to know. Already, despite
the Secret, she was feeling fearful.

Godmother squeezed Mary Alice's hand sympathetically; and then, because
that was not enough, she dropped a brief kiss on Mary Alice's anxious
young forehead. "I know how you feel, dear," she whispered. "All of
us, I guess, have fairy charms that we're afraid to use. Others have
used them, we know, and found them miraculous. But somehow, we're
afraid. I'm all undecided in my mind whether to tell you about this
place we're going to, or not to tell you about it. I want to do what
is easiest for you. Now, you think! It probably won't be a very large
assembly. These dear people, who have many friends, are at home on
Friday evenings. Sometimes a large number call, sometimes only a few.
And in New York, you know, people are not 'introduced round'; you just
meet such of your fellow guests as happen to 'come your way,' so to
speak. That is, if there are many. We'll go down and call this
evening--take our chance of few or many, and try out our Secret. And
I'll do just as you think you'd like best; I'll tell you about the
people we're going to see and try to guess as well as I can who else
may be there. Or I won't tell you anything at all--just leave you to
remember that 'folks is folks,' and to find out the rest for yourself.
You needn't decide now. Take all day to think about it, if you like."

"Oh, dear!" cried Mary Alice, "I'm all in a flutt