led expression left her face and was succeeded
by another, an odd one. When she spoke it was in a tone of great
surprise.

"To Trumet?" she repeated. "Go back to Trumet? Not to live there?"

Captain Dan hesitated, but his wife did not.

"Yes," she said decidedly, "to live. For the present, anyhow. At least
we shan't live here any longer."

"Not live here? Not live in Scarford, Mother! Why, what do you mean?"

Her father answered. "She means what she says, I presume likely," he
observed impatiently. "Think she's talkin' for the fun of it? This ain't
April Fool Day."

"But she can't mean it. She can't! Give up the Chapter, and all our
friends--"

"Friends! They're a healthy lot of friends, they are!"

"Hush, Daddy; I'm not talking to you. Do you realize what you are
saying, Mother? Give up the Chapter, and all your ambitions there? Give
up Mrs. Black and Mrs. Lake and Miss Canby--"

"And that twist and squirm, antique Greece disgrace of a Dusante
woman--don't forget her. Gertie, you stop now. Your ma knows--"

"Daddy, be still. Be still, I say! Mother, are you willing to give them
up? And all our society! You say yourself--I've heard you often--that
there is no society in Trumet. Give up our bridge lessons, and our
dancing, and our teas, and--"

"For the land sakes! What is this; a catalogue you're givin' us? Stop
it! Serena, you tell her to stop."

But Gertrude would not stop. She ignored her father utterly.

"Think what it would mean," she protested. "Think of your social
position, Mother, the position we have worked so hard to attain."

Serena shook her head. "I don't care," she said firmly. "Our social
position was good enough in Trumet."

"WHAT! Why, Mother! how often I have heard you say--"

"Never mind what I said. I have said a lot of foolish things, and done a
lot, too. But I'm through. I'm sick and disgusted with it all. I'm going
to be simple and comfortable and happy--yes, happy. Oh, Gertie, DON'T
talk to me about society! There isn't a real, sincere person in it, not
in the set we have been in. I hate Scarford and I hate society."

"Mother! how can you! And opportunity and advancement--"

"I hate them, too."

Gertrude gasped. "Why, Mother!" she exclaimed. "And it was you who first
showed me the way. Who showed me how common and dull and unambitious
I had been all my life? Think what leaving here would mean to me. What
would Miss Dusante think? I had almost arranged to take dancing lesso