"The girl used to come to the house," she said. "Her mother belonged
to us before the war, and we have been such friends as white and black
can be. And she wanted to learn to play, and offered to pay me well
for lessons, and I gave them to her. We never speak about the money at
the house; mother knows it, but feigns that I do it out of mere
kindness, and tells me that I am spoiling the coloured people. Our
friends are not supposed to know it, and if any of them do, they are
kind and never speak of it. Since you have been coming to the house,
it has not been convenient to teach her there, and I have been going
to her home in the evening."

"My dear Laura," said the colonel, remorsefully, "I have driven you
away from your own home, and all unwittingly. I applaud your
enterprise and your public spirit. It is a long way from the banjo to
the piano--it marks the progress of a family and foreshadows the
evolution of a race. And what higher work than to elevate humanity?"

They had reached the house. Mrs. Treadwell had not come down, nor had
Graciella returned. They went into the parlour. Miss Laura turned up
the lamp.

* * * * *

Graciella had run over to a neighbour's to meet a young lady who was
visiting a young lady who was a friend of Graciella's. She had
remained a little longer than she had meant to, for among those who
had called to see her friend's friend was young Mr. Fetters, the son
of the magnate, lately returned home from college. Barclay Fetters was
handsome, well-dressed and well-mannered. He had started at one
college, and had already changed to two others. Stories of his
dissipated habits and reckless extravagance had been bruited about.
Graciella knew his family history, and had imbibed the old-fashioned
notions of her grandmother's household, so that her acknowledgment of
the introduction was somewhat cold, not to say distant. But as she
felt the charm of his manner, and saw that the other girls were vieing
with one another for his notice, she felt a certain triumph that he
exhibited a marked preference for her conversation. Her reserve
gradually broke down, and she was talking with animation and listening
with pleasure, when she suddenly recollected that Colonel French would
probably call, and that she ought to be there to entertain him, for
which purpose she had dressed herself very carefully. He had not
spoken yet, but might be expected to speak at any time; such ma