heir mothers murmured suggestions and
warnings. Waterman stood at the window looking out upon the snow-covered
lawn. Fosdick scanned the market page in Amzi's copy of the Indianapolis
"Advertiser." It was in Waterman's mind that if he had the essential
funds he might the next year renew his assaults upon the halls of
Congress. The brothers-in-law distrusted and disliked each other. Each,
after his fashion, was a failure; and the angle of their several
failures had become acute. Their wives made a brave showing to the
public and to each other; there was always the Montgomery pride to be
sustained.

Amzi, having abandoned the field of engineering to his nephews,
contemplated the scene philosophically with his back to the fire. His
sisters discussed the annual ball to be given in January by the Sons of
Montgomery. They were on the invitation committee, and were confronted
with the usual problems of elimination. There was a standard to
maintain, and the Newells, who had just moved from Ladoga, and set up a
new house and a six-cylinder automobile, were, as every one was saying,
_such_ nice people; and Newell undoubtedly made a lot of money out of
his sawmills; and all that. They were painfully conscious that their
husbands were not amusing Amzi or each other.

"Where's Phil, Amzi?" asked Mrs. Waterman.

"Phil hasn't showed up yet. I guess she'll be along pretty soon."

"Tom has had her with him over at Indianapolis all week. I don't think
he ought to take her over there, to run around town while he's busy.
She's had so little experience, and with her heedlessness; and all--"

Mrs. Waterman left the conclusion to their imaginations, and as Amzi
made no response and as the other gentlemen seemed indifferent, Mrs.
Fosdick threw a bit of kindling upon the dull ashes of the
conversation.

"Mary Fanning said she saw Phil on the street with a young man over at
Indianapolis, only last Tuesday. It isn't fair of Tom; or right, Amzi--"

"Thunder! I heard what Mary was saying. She saw Phil in Washington
Street, with Charlie Holton. What have you girls got against Charlie? If
it hadn't been for you Phil wouldn't have known him."

"Oh, there's nothing against Charlie; he's a fine fellow. I didn't know
it was Charlie," she ended weakly.

"Well, it was Charlie. Nan Bartlett heard what Mary was saying, and
asked her about it, and that was all there was to it: she saw Phil and
Charlie walking along Washington Street, just as they mi