d to his
sisters. They were all blessed with husbands, and if these gentlemen did
not safeguard their wives' property it was no affair of his. There had
been about half a million dollars, which meant in round figures a
hundred thousand dollars apiece, and this in Montgomery is a great deal
of money.

When his sisters arrived, Amzi rose with the nice courtesy that lay in
him and placed chairs for them about the table. Then panting from his
exertion he pulled a cigar from his waistcoat and dry-smoked it. They
were unwontedly grave, suggesting the gloom of a committee appointed to
perfect funeral arrangements for a poor relation.

"You have talked to Phil about the party, I suppose," said Mrs.
Waterman.

"I have: I most certainly have, Josie," replied Amzi, sighing heavily.

"And she's going to do what we want?"

Amzi tilted his head to one side reflectively, and took the cigar from
his mouth.

"She's going to stand for the party, if that's what you mean; but as to
doing what you want on general principles, I'm not so dead sure."

"It was your duty, Amzi, to go into the matter thoroughly--to lay down
the law to her," observed Mrs. Fosdick.

"All right," nodded Amzi. "In the words of the poet, I done it. But Phil
doesn't need lectures."

"Doesn't need them?" sniffed Mrs. Fosdick. "That poor child couldn't
have a lecture too many. She always pulls the wool over your eyes. It's
right and proper for us to know just what she said when you told her she
had to stop running round so much and act like a respectable
well-brought-up girl."

"You're a lot of silly geese about Phil--all of you," declared Amzi,
bringing his gaze to bear upon them _seriatim_. "Phil is far from being
a fool, and there's a heart in her as big as the court-house. We don't
appreciate her; we're always nagging her and trying to reform her."

The plural was pure chivalry. It was not Amzi who nagged Phil. The
aunts, perfectly aware of this, and ready usually to challenge any
intimation that their attitude toward Phil was not dictated by equity
and wisdom, were silent. Their failure to respond with their customary
defense aroused his suspicions. They had been to a tea somewhere and
were in their new fall togs. Their zealous attempts to live up to what
were to him the absurdest, the most preposterous ideals, struck him
just now as pathetic; but he was fond of his sisters. If the course of
their lives was inexplicable and their ambitions ridiculous a